The American Lung Association Breathe Easy Breakfast, which was held on March 20, 2002 in the Grand Ballroom of the Westin Hotel in downtown Seattle was a resounding success!  Over 700 people gathered to support the ALA of Washington's mission of preventing lung disease and promoting lung health through research and education.

The Northwest ARDS Support Network sponsored two tables and 20 people (six of whom were ARDS survivors!) showed up at 7:30 on a rainy Seattle morning to show their support for the goals of the American Lung Association.  Dr. James Vincent and Dr. Embra Roper, the pulmonologists who cared for Meg Tapucol-Provo while she was battling ARDS, graced us with their presence.  The two tables were dedicated to the memory of Carrie Walker Bookless, who passed away on December 30, 2001, while awaiting a double lung transplant.  

The highlight of the morning was a video presentation in which the importance of research was emphasized. Meg Tapucol-Provo narrated the video.  The introductory montage included footage of Meg when she was on the ventilator, her hands shaking uncontrollably from all the drugs in her body.  Tod Bookless shared an emotional moment when he talked about Carrie waiting for the two lungs.  He recalled that she would sometimes just hold her pager, look at it, and say, "Ring.  Ring."  But it never rang.  Many were moved to tears by the raw emotion evoked in the presentation.  Click here to view the video, titled "Seeds to Solutions."

Ron Sims, King County Executive, himself an asthmatic, reminded all of us that we were all here to invest in life, and that we are what we give.  He asked us all to take three or four deep breaths, and emphasized that not everybody could do what we so easily took for granted.  It was a wonderful morning and an hour well spent.

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