Hospital Honors Koppel
Grace Anne Dorney with husband Ted Koppel (center) are surrounding by St. Mary’s Hospital staff and patients of The Grace Anne Dorney Pulmonary & Cardiac Rehabilitation Center. (Photo by Nicki Strickland, St. Mary’s Hospital Photographer)
St. Mary’s Hospital
Leading Edge
Medstar St. Mary’s Hospital hosted a mid-October birthday celebration for guest of honor, Grace Anne Dorney Koppel, namesake of The Grace Anne Dorney Pulmonary & Cardiac Rehabilitation Center. The center that bears Grace Anne’s name opened in January 2010, and is located just inside the main entrance of St. Mary’s Hospital. The progressive program features pulmonary and cardiac rehabilitation services intended to limit the effects of related diseases.
Grace Anne, a Maryland attorney, business manager and wife of newsman Ted Koppel, was diagnosed with COPD 10 years ago and has since been committed to raising awareness of the disease. COPD or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is characterized by chronic breathing problems, such as emphysema and bronchitis.
In tribute to Grace Anne’s advocacy work and struggle with the disease, Ted Koppel gifted the funds to St. Mary’s to create the center in her honor more than three years ago. Recognizing the substantial impact of rehabilitation, the Dorney Koppel Family Foundation hopes to open similar centers in underserved areas every year in each of the United States.
It seemed fitting to celebrate Grace Anne’s birthday this year with the patients whose lives have changed for the better because of the center and the remarkable dedication of the center’s staff. Bruce Blackistone and Beth Mitchell spoke of their remarkable journeys through rehabilitation. Blackistone experienced what can only be called a dramatic introduction to his cardiac rehabilitation when he had a second heart attack during his first session at the center. He walked guests through his struggles before rehabilitation and spoke of his now successes – one being his ability to plant blue spruce trees in his yard without losing his breathe. Mitchell went through all phases of the pulmonary rehabilitation program at the center. She credited the program with preparing her for a successful double lung transplant just a few months ago.
Before the birthday cake was cut, Grace Anne said to invited guests, “I do feel bolstered by what I have seen and heard today.” As a patient advocate for the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute’s “COPD: Learn More, Breathe Better” campaign, Grace Anne encouraged guests to, “go out and do your part to let others know this disease exists and they can have control over it. The disease is manageable. Progress can be made.”
To learn more about the Grace Anne Dorney Pulmonary & Cardiac Rehabilitation center, visit www.stmaryshospitalmd.org.
