The American Lung Association has selected Temple’s Jamie Garfield, MD, as one of six new national volunteer medical spokespeople. Dr. Garfield and the new spokespeople will join 12 others who were reappointed to another term. The American Lung Association’s National Volunteer Medical Spokesperson Program enters its fourth year with 18 medical professionals from across the United States with expertise in a wide number of lung health topics, from lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), vaping and asthma to healthy air, allergies and quit smoking support. Dr. Garfield was selected after a nationwide application and interview process.
“It’s difficult to read the news without coming across urgent lung health issues, whether wildfires, the climate crisis, the youth vaping epidemic or the terrible toll of lung cancer. Now, more than ever, it’s imperative to bring Americans the most current and accurate lung health information,” said American Lung Association National President and CEO Harold P. Wimmer. “The American Lung Association volunteer spokespeople help us advance our mission to save lives by ensuring the media and public have reliable, science-based information. We are fortunate to work with leading experts and dedicated volunteers.”
“I’m proud to be selected by the American Lung Association as a national volunteer medical spokesperson,” said Dr. Garfield, who is also Associate Professor of Thoracic Medicine and Surgery at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University and Co-Director of the Invasive Pulmonary Procedures Laboratory at Temple University Hospital. “I look forward to using my knowledge and expertise as a clinician, researcher and educator at the Temple Lung Center and the Lewis Katz School of Medicine to communicate with the public about important, timely lung health information.”
Dr. Garfield is an interventional pulmonologist at the Temple Lung Center, one of the busiest interventional pulmonary programs in the country. Her clinical and research interests are in lung cancer, lung nodules, smoking cessation and interventional pulmonary procedures. Dr. Garfield also has strong interest in women’s lung disease and health, as well as LGBTQ awareness and health. Her outpatient practice serves general pulmonary patients with diagnoses such as COPD, asthma, cough, occupational lung disease and interstitial lung disease. In addition to her clinical and research interests, she is a passionate, award-winning leader in quality improvement as well as undergraduate and medical education.
The Temple Lung Center is a national leader in diagnosing and treating lung problems, whether patients have a common issue like asthma or a complex condition like COPD. As one of the nation’s premier lung-disease research centers, the Temple Lung Center offers patients access to leading-edge clinical trials and innovative treatment options.
A full list of all 18 volunteer spokespeople for 2019-2020, including biographies and headshots, and additional resources for media may be found at Lung.org/media.