After months of feeling pressure in her chest, Karen Maheux was told by her doctors in Wyoming that she had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). "I was shocked because I never smoked, so I wanted a second opinion," Karen says. She came to National Jewish in Denver and discovered that she had been misdiagnosed and did not have COPD, which is a devastating disease. Karen's lungs were severely inflamed from a bout of flu and could be easily treated with a steroid inhaler.
Karen was able to come to National Jewish thanks to the National Jewish Financial Assistance Program, which helps patients pay for their care. To get to the root of a disease, we spend a great deal of time with patients, and such highly specialized care is expensive. Karen not only saw one of our preeminent physicians, she underwent a battery of tests and participated in health-education classes. "I found out I had allergies and got a better picture of how to take care of myself. Before, my life was constantly compromised by not feeling well. Since my visit, I feel well every day. This would not be possible without the care I received from National Jewish."
