The Internet can be a great source of information and find out where to go for help. However, you want to make sure you are getting true information. Have you seen the commercial where the woman says, “It has to be true because I found it on the Internet.” Ha! You would hope that someone would not want to mislead people with a disease. But not all claims are backed up by research. Even if a remedy helped one person with COPD, it does not mean that it will work for everyone. That is why we have researchers. It is their job to find out what is true for most people and what is just an old wives tale.
When you have COPD, you might be interested in getting more information about your disease, talking to others with the disease, or see what research is being done. I have compiled a list of reliable organizations that are educating and aiding the research effort.
The American Lung Association. http://lung.org
This association is well known and respected throughout the country. You can find information about the various diseases under the COPD umbrella. They also provide topics on how to live with COPD and chat rooms to talk with others with the same disease. The American Lung Association also advocates for patients with COPD. This means they have people who try to get our lawmakers to make the decisions that would help patients with COPD or add to the research effort.
The National Emphysema Foundation. http://emphysemafoundation.org
Although this foundation’s name includes the word, “emphysema,” their website also discusses other diseases in the COPD realm. Along with education, the National Emphysema Foundation is involved in raising money to provide grants for COPD scientific research.
The National Lung Health Education Program. http://nlhep.org
This program educates the public, as well as health care professionals, about COPD and advocates for early diagnosis.
The American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. http://aacupr.org
This association promotes research and education. You can also find a respiratory rehabilitation center in our area using their online directory.
The resources above only scratch the surface of all the agencies, foundations and associations out there that want to help people with COPD. This last resource, below, gives you even more links to interesting sites that are right in your area.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov
This is a governmental institute within the National Institutes of Health, a federal program. They have created the Breathe Better Network. You can find a Breathe Better Partner in your state to find out more information about your disease, how COPD research is being supported in your state, and advocacy for a safer environment for COPD patients.
Laurie M. DeChello, MPH, CPH
ASP does not provide medical advice. If you have questions about your illness or treatment, please contact your doctor.