Living With COPD

Ethnographic Research and Documentary

"On an average, each person takes 18,000 breaths per day, 126,000 breaths per week,

and 6,552,000 breaths per year."

- Adventist Center

C.O.P.D.Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Fourth leading cause of death in the U.S.

In 2004 118, 171 people died from COPD - Source: National Center for health

Understanding C.O.P.D.

Six participants interviewed over the course of four months

Visual Methods were used to capture their interviews and their lived experience

Participant Observation used prior to starting interviews

Causes of C.O.P.D.

Emphysema, Chronic Bronchitis, Asthma, Aspectice, Heredity

Common Themes

Isolation Loss and Control

Better Breather’s Group

Changing their name to “Easy Breathers”