The Unsung Lung Podcast

Tracheostomies are a serious matter but when patients have the resources they need to learn about them, care gets a whole lot easier. On July's edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob chats with Nadia Qureshi and Stephanie Nitschke from DECIDE-T, a program that is creating resources for families with children who have a tracheostomy. The three discuss DECIDE-T and its important work, the role of...

Patrick Caple is on the show again and he's just as candid as last time. On this episode of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Patrick speaks with our host Jacob about the transition from a care facility to his own home. They discuss a new-found independence, the obstacles that exist in that process, and the excitement that comes from a new set of lungs. Join us for a reflective discussion that dives into t...

A good support group is important in the best of times. Think of how important it is in the hard times. On today's episode of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob speaks with respiratory therapist, Kennedy King, as they dive into all things 'support groups.' They discuss the importance of peer connection (including online connection), getting tips from others who have been in your shoes, and Alberta's l...

50 Episodes! What a milestone! Four years of learning about lungs right next to you, all of our amazing listeners. And this episode is no different. On this episode of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob chats with another amazing guest from the University of Calgary, Curtis Dumonceaux. Curtis is a registered respiratory therapist and a clinical research associate at the U of C. Jacob and Curtis talk e...

Your lungs are directly connected to your brain! Sometimes we forget that all of the systems throughout our bodies are connected. On this edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob sits down with Dr. Bryan Yipp to look more closely at this lung-brain connection. The University of Calgary Professor and Researcher explains how nerve calls can reduce fibrosis, that neurological advances can help lung...

Not all scientific research is done under a microscope lens or with a large MRI machine. Some of the most profound research is done using the lived of experience of patients to improve the healthcare system and the treatments that future patients will receive. On this edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob speaks with Michelle Dean from the PROPEL Lung Cancer Study. They discuss how patient sto...

Vaccination is contentious. But numbers don't lie. Vaccines help millions of people every year escape certain illness and even death in many circumstances. On the first episode of 2026 on The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob chats with Betty Golightly, a pharmacist and health instructor. They discuss respiratory illness and vaccines, herd immunity, and how a low vaccine rate can lead to a strained healt...

The holiday season is always filled with joy, hope, and family. This episode is no different. On December's edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob chats with Patrick Caple, a double lung transplant recipient. They discuss the challenges throughout the entire transplant journey, Alberta's healthcare system, and the importance of a strong support group. This episode is perfect if you're looking f...

It's cold outside! And you know what that means, Radon Action Month! Jacob chats with Andrew Arshinoff from Radon Care about testing your homes for this colourless, odourless, radioactive gas. The two discuss different studies related to radon, how mitigation works, and what to do if you are a little skeptical about everything radon-related. November is a great month to remind ourselves that, ofte...

October's edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast puts the future at the forefront. Jacob chats with Dr. Giovani Ferrara, a Professor of Medicine at the University of Alberta, about all things wearable technology and lung health. They discuss using AI to predict lung health flare-ups, digital health and its real life applications, and how individual statistics can have population-wide impacts. This is...

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 r...

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 or...

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...

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 alread...

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 desi...

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 respira...

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)! Th...

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 a...

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! Stay Connected: To find programs and in...

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 i...

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...

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....

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 f...

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 R...

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...