The Unsung Lung Podcast

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...

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 ai...

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 en...

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 k...

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! Stay Connected: For more information about...

We've got another double-researcher episode for you! On today's show, we talk all things lung transplant with Dr. Jason Weatherald and Dr. Kieran Halloran. Dr. Weatherald is an Assistant Professor at the University of Alberta and focusses on pulmonary vascular disease. Dr. Halloran is an Associate Professor at the U of A and lung transplantation is his main area of expertise. In the interview, we...

New year, new show! We talk 'all-things-vaping' with two experts in the field of lung health in Alberta! Dr. Harissios Vliagoftis is a Professor at the University of Alberta and focuses on immunology, asthma, and allergies. Dr. Paul Forsythe has his PhD in immunopharmacology and runs The Forsythe Lab that researches the connection between the lungs and the brain. Together, these two physicians are...

On today's show, we talk about everything Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) with two guys who know a thing or two about the disease. Dr. Dion Neame is a pediatrician and Assistant Clinical Professor at McMaster University. Amit Gupta has a Doctorate in Pharmacy who is passionate about enhancing immunization rates in marginalized communities. The trio discusses the prevalence of RSV, how it affects...

For the first time in our show's history we devote an entire episode to one of the biggest topics in lung health, lung cancer! Jacob sits down with Dr. Alain Tremblay and Stephanie Fisher Dortman to discuss lung cancer screening, risk factors related to lung cancer, and tips to reduce your chances of developing the disease! A massive thank-you to these two leading minds in the world of lung cancer...

How do environmental factors affect lung health? Can climate change really damage your lungs? These are just a few of the questions that Jacob discusses with Melanie Langille, President and CEO of NB Lung. The duo dive into the world of environmental sciences to discuss how simple things in our everyday lives can have detrimental effects on our lung health. Stay Connected: For more information and...

Picture a scuba diving helmet... but this helmet isn't for breathing underwater, it's to help those with lung disease! Join Jacob on September's edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast as he takes a deep dive into the world of lung health technology with Arpan Grover, Co-Founder and CEO of Clarivent Medical, Inc. They discuss Clarivent's newest creation, why advancement in lung health technology is so...

It's a little smoky out there but Jacob found the researcher for the job! On this edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob speaks to Dr. Paige Lacy. They discuss her paper on short-term acute exposure to wildfire smoke among Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers during the Fort McMurray wildfires. They also cover the impact of poor air quality on respiratory health, including its effects on indi...

We're back with a brand new episode and we really hit the ground running! On this episode of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob interviews the Founder and CEO of iMaster Health, Amanda Holyk. iMaster Health provides online resources for pulmonary rehabilitation and aims to help patients live and breathe better while reducing the economic burden on our healthcare systems. This show brings together two...

We're taking a Summer Break! June's episode of The Unsung Lung Podcast is a replay of our most popular episode ever, Embrace Your Expiry Date. The busyness of life caught up to the Unsung Lung team so we are taking a break for June and coming back rejuvenated in July! This month, join host Jacob Sperling in diving back in our vault to rewind and learn about cystic fibrosis, taking a positive outlo...

On this month's edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob sits down with his boss, Nina Snyder, Chief Operations Officer of Alberta Lung, to discuss everything lung disease and stigma. They talk about Nina's scent-induced asthma, her mother's emphysema, and the problems that can arise when those around people with lung disease lack empathy. Thanks for downloading May's show! Our listeners keep thi...

On April's show, Jacob sits down with one of the leading health-tech entrepreneurs in our country! Samantha Gardner, the Director of Patient Advocacy and Outreach at Heal Mary, has a passion for community and connecting patients to clinical trials so that they can be the healthiest versions of themselves. Samantha was the 2022 HSBC Women's Entrepreneurial Leader and she strives to make the health...

March's episode has Jacob stopped by the police! Well, maybe less stopped by the police and more interviewing a retired RCMP officer. Ian Currie is a retired police officer who recently underwent a double lung transplant. On the show, Jacob and Ian discuss his initial diagnosis, the lung transplant bootcamp that we've heard about lots on this podcast before, and the importance of organ donation! I...

On February's edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob interviews a fellow student! Well, not exactly fellow as in studying the same things, but they are both students! He sits down with Chelsea Manson, a respiratory therapy student at Thompson Rivers University to talk about studying lungs. They discuss why she chose the particular university that she attends now, the challenges of the program,...

On The Unsung Lung Podcast, we know that family is incredibly important in helping those who are struggling with a lung condition. Within the family, our mothers are an integral part of healing and coping. On this episode, Jacob speaks to an amazing mother named Gina. Her son, Vincent, had Cystic Fibrosis and unfortunately did not win his battle with the disease. However, Gina continues to be a ch...

On this episode of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob sits down with Kirsten Merle to discuss her undiagnosed lung disease. The pair discuss Alberta's healthcare system, the various side-effects rising out of the medications she was on, and her eventual recovery. Dealing with illness can be hard. It's even harder when you don't know what you're battling! Thank you for tuning into the show today and we...

Ever wonder how our GI tract is connected to our lungs? Or how histamines can affect your gut health? On this edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob discusses what food can do for our lungs and overall health with Tracey Reed, Holistic Nutritional Consultant. They focus on GERD and how it directly connects to many lung diseases. All of us at Alberta Lung are so grateful to Tracey for spreading...

On this edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob has a great discussion with Chris Sadleir, founder of Walk to Breathe. This initiative is an awareness and fundraising campaign for lung transplant throughout Alberta. Chris walked 840 kilometres over the last two years to raise awareness and he is continuing to spread his knowledge! We are lucky to have him on the show today and we hope you learn...

Always wanted to learn about radon but never wanted to take the time and read all those pamphlets? Well, do we have the episode for you! On September's edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob is joined by a trio of lung health ambassadors from across Canada, Jen, Tod, and Bethany, as they discuss Tackle Radon! An initiative created to spread radon awareness to all Western Canada, Tackle Radon se...

We’ve got a special one for you today, folks. Jacob interviews Jeremie Saunders, the Co-Founder, Producer & Co-Host of Sickboy Podcast! They discuss Jeremie’s journey with Cystic Fibrosis, embracing your inevitable death (yikes haha), and looking at illness in a new way. Jeremie is an award-winning actor and a world-renowned podcaster. It’s a pleasure to have him on The Unsung Lung Podcast!   List...

The July edition of ‘The Unsung Lung Podcast’ puts Jacob in a nerve-racking situation! Just kidding, well, not really. He interviews his BOSS, Leigh Allard, President and CEO of Alberta Lung! The two discuss a major project that Alberta Lung has been undertaking for a few years now, called Breathing Space. The facility is a lung transplant ‘home-away-from-home’ for patients needing this life savin...