“I always tell people – ‘I used up all my fun chips and that’s the end of that deal.’” Meet Clayton Palmer. He’s dealing with advanced stages of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, otherwise known as COPD.

“I was having a lot of shortness of breath. I wasn’t breathing well and I was smoking at the time,” says Palmer.

Researchers are looking at several potential drugs that could help people diagnosed with severe COPD. In the meantime, doctors are prescribing closely monitored, low impact exercise programs to help patients like Clayton deal with their condition.

“We have a very good support base with our therapists and our exercise physiologist and they really have a passion for this and really work closely,” says Alan Cunningham, System Director for Lee Memorial Health System’s Pulmonary Rehabilitation Clinics.

He says it’s not just the therapists who help. “We have camaraderie between the patients, they also challenge each other and share stories between them.” “I’m more active. I do more things – as long as I continue to do what I have been doing for the last 5 years, I don’t think the disease is going to overtake me,” adds Palmer.

Since each individual case is different, a pulmonary rehab specialist will put together a specific exercise program designed to cater to the patient’s individual situation.