The Unsung Lung Podcast
Lung health is important. Join host Jacob Sperling, Health Promotion Coordinator for Alberta Lung, as he delves into the world of lung health and lung disease. 1 in 5 Albertans will struggle with lung disease in their lifetime. We need to make lung health a central focus in our overall well-being. This podcast aims to educate you, the listener, on how to protect yourself and embrace compassion for others who are struggling with lung disease. To support our podcast, please visit www.patreon.com/unsunglung. We appreciate every supporter and every dollar goes to helping Canadians with lung disease!
Episodes
On September's edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast, we take a step back and look at lung health research from a 20,000 foot view. Jacob speaks with Dr. Robin Urquhart, an Associate Professor at Dalhousie University and Canadian Cancer Society Endowed Chair. They chat about Dr. Urquhart's academic journey, her current research on lung cancer outside the smoking realm, and the future of lung health research. Join Jacob as he dives dee...
August's episode releases right before Heritage Day in Alberta and what better way to celebrate all the different cultures in Canada than with a discussion that touches each and every part of our great nation! On this edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob talks with Manuel Escoto about the Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program (CDTRP). They discuss Manuel's own journey with organ transplant, how the CDTRP helps...
You probably know that this podcast is brought to you by Alberta Lung, but do you know what other health programs your local not-for-profit lung health charity has to offer? On July's edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob chats with Jamie Happy, Alberta Lung's Health Promotion Coordinator! They discuss the main health initiatives at Alberta Lung, new and exciting programs that the organization is rolling out, and update you on ...
Vaping is sort of an enigma. It must be bad for us, right? But there seems to be limited research into its negative health consequences. On June's episode of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob chats with Dr. Janice Leung, a Principal Investigator for the new CLOUD Study: the Canadian Lung Outcomes in Users of Vaping Devices Study. They discuss the format of the research, what kinds of toxins we already know are present in vaping device...
Our guests on May's edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast are Chamber Reclaimers: they are building better, more efficient, and more portable inhaler chambers. Jacob chats with Hollo Medical's co-founders, Dr. David Hodgson and Sara Fedullo, to discuss their new product and how it is an improvement on products currently available on the market. They cover topics like medical engineering, product design, and awards that their new produ...
On this edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast, we follow our guest from volunteer to career! Jacob sits down with Alberta Lung Volunteer and Respiratory Therapist, Robyn Gilmore, to chat about her path to becoming an RT. They discuss Alberta Lung's Breathe Smart! Program, what helpful leadership can do, and the life of a hospital-based RT. We follow Robyn's journey from Alberta Lung helper to respiratory warrior!
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It's our second month in a row of talking to a patient advocate and this conversation certainly did not disappoint. On March's edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob chats with Dave Rasmussen, an advocate for those facing pulmonary fibrosis. They discuss Dave's diagnosis, his love of sport, and how he has more than doubled his life expectancy since diagnosis (hence, being called an outlier)! This is a great episode for those loo...
When nobody else will listen, stand up for yourself! On this edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob sits down with Maureen Harper, a patient diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension. They discuss the signs and symptoms of PH, the importance of patient advocacy, and how a lump on the front of her leg (of all places) led to her eventual diagnosis of a lung disease! This is a great episode for tips and tricks to maneuver through the h...
This is a fun one! For the first episode of 2025, Jacob chats with Mercedes and Anastasia from Small Bits of Happiness. They discuss how seeing the good in life and introducing joy in everyday activities can boost your lung and overall health! If you are looking for tips and tricks to make the regular a little more extraordinary, this is the episode for you!
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To find programs and initiatives offered by Alberta Lung, ...
Welcome to the new and improved Unsung Lung Podcast! On the first episode of the new format, Jacob chats with the Co-Chair and CEO of Praxus Health, formerly known as 19 to Zero. They discuss everything from health misinformation to the new pulmonary function mobile test units that they are launching next year with the Government of Alberta. This is a great episode all about health behaviour and important initiatives that are happe...
It's a new era for The Unsung Lung Podcast! We're changing things up a little. You can still expect the same knowledge and expertise from our guests on the show, but just in less time. We're making the show shorter to better accommodate you, the listener. So sit back, relax, and enjoy learning about lung health, just in half the time!
To find programs and initiatives offered by Alberta Lung, visit: www.ablung.ca
It's November which means it's Radon Action Month! Join Jacob as he sits down with Dr. Dustin Pearson, a key part of the recent Cross-Canada Radon Survey released in October 2024. They discuss the impact that climate change has on radon levels, energy efficiency in homes, and how radon impacts our lung health! This is the most cutting edge research on radon so you don't want to miss this episode.
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You've heard of the 'black plague', but what about the 'white plague'? This episode of the show is dedicated to Alberta Lung's 85th anniversary of advocating for lung health. On this month's edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob sits down with renowned tuberculosis expert, Dr. Anne Fanning. A member of the Order of Canada and one of Alberta's Physician's of the Century, Dr. Fanning knows her fair share about TB. They dive head ...
Access to care is one of the most pressing issues in Canadian healthcare. From long wait times at hospitals to low levels of family physicians throughout the country, this is an issue that spans across the entirety of medicine in Canada. But what about a pharmacist's take on access to care? On this edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob sits down with Dr. Tatiana Makhinova, a 2022 Lung Health Research Grant Winner. The two discu...
On the 30th episode of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob sits down with veterinarian and Director of Animal Health at the Edmonton Humane Society, Dr. Michelle Meckelborg. Pivoting from our normal conversations about humans and lung health, the two discuss everything animals and pets! From short-nosed pugs to Dr. Meckelborg's real life experiences of treating animals in respiratory distress (spoiler alert, a porcupine!) we cover every...
The 'Patient Spotlight Series' is back in action and we're here to teach you about what it's like to have asthma! On this episode of the show, Jacobs sits down with lifelong asthma patient, Jessica Poirier. They discuss stereotypes, the challenges of asthma, and the disease progression from childhood through to the adult years. We're so grateful to Jessica for giving up her time to be on the show and we hope you enjoy the discussio...
As summer is approaching in Alberta, the warmer temperatures remind us of fun things like water parks on a warm sunny day and a bike ride through your favourite park. They also remind us of the not-so-fun-things, like wildfires and climate change. On this episode of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob sits down with Epidemiologist, Dr. Scott Weichenthal. They discuss biostatistics, health effects of air pollution, and how large-scale en...
It almost seems like a bad word. The "C" word. Cancer. Today, Jacob sits down with Dr. Quincy Chu and Dr. Paul Wheatley-Price to discuss everything lung cancer. They talk about Lung Cancer Canada, new lung cancer treatments, and Dr. Wheatley-Prince's podcast called Lung Cancer Voices. This was an amazing discussion bridging health policy with everything medical science and research. We hope you enjoy the show!
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The University of Alberta Lung Transplant Program performs the highest volume of transplants per capita in Canada and boasts the best survival rates of any other program in the country. This is in no small part due to dedicated and experienced transplant coordinators like Marianne Goodvin, our guest on the show today. We discuss a day in the life of a lung transplant coordinator and how her team know all too well the importance of ...
This month's show has us talking about all things health policy and indoor air quality. Jacob sits down with lawyer and PhD, Dr. Noah Quastel, to talk about radon, sustainability, and law and policy. They discuss why it is so important to advocate to your local politicians about causes that are important to you, specifically issues related to lung health!
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For more information about the show, visit: www.ablung.ca/uns...
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