When your lungs are healthy, you never think about breathing. When they’re not … it’s all you can think about.

October 20-26 is respiratory care week, an annual opportunity to celebrate and thank the physicians, nurses, and respiratory therapists for their skilled work to keep our lungs healthy.

According to the American Lung Association, four in ten Americans live in places with unhealthy levels of air pollution. Combined with the prevalence of respiratory illnesses like the flu and RSV, the importance of high-quality and accessible respiratory care is crystal clear. From regular exercise to avoiding smoking to regular checkups with your provider for lung diseases, there are many preventative measures that can help everyone keep their lungs healthy and strong.

For more than 40 years, respiratory care week has served as a reminder of the critical work health care professionals do to treat patients with respiratory illnesses and chronic conditions. COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and other respiratory diseases cause more than 150,000 deaths in the U.S. every year, and chronic lower respiratory diseases were the 5^th leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2023.

Hereford Regional Medical Center is proud to provide high-quality respiratory therapy and lung health check-ups right here in Hereford. Our respiratory care experts also work closely with our sleep study team to diagnose and treat breathing issues like sleep apnea that can affect your sleep and therefore your overall health.

Call 806-364-7512 to schedule a regular check-up with the Hereford Health Clinic and check up on your lung health today.