The pulmonary fitness program has been going strong for a year at the Wellness Center of Cape Coral. Heather Brown is an exercise specialist who works with pulmonary clients. She says, “One of our members here is a pulmonologist at the hospital and she was like, we need to get these people in here, to continue maintenance, because they really need it. They need it to keep going.”

Heather works hands-on with clients who are living with conditions like chronic bronchitis, asthma, and emphysema. They focus on small intervals of cardio-vascular activity and strength training. “It actually helps build up their muscles that help them breathe. Their intercostals and their lung capacity can actually expand,” Heather says.

Mimi Holloway is a graduate of the program. She says, “With Heather’s program she was monitoring my oxygen, she was taking my blood pressure.” The goal is to help give these pulmonary patients a better quality of life. Heather says, “My main goal is for them to be able to walk outside without oxygen and do things with their families and walk to the mailbox and back because some of my clients can’t do that without their oxygen tanks,” says Heather.

Mimi is one of the clients that was able to accomplish that goal of living life without lugging around an oxygen tank. She says, “I was also able to stop using my oxygen when I was exercising so that was a big step, something that I really wanted to accomplish.”

To learn more about the pulmonary fitness program you can call (239)-573-4800. According to the American Lung Association, more than 35,000,000 Americans are living with a chronic lung disease.