Dr. Darcy Marciniuk receives the Canadian Lung Association’s highest honor – the prestigious Founders Award

Dr. Darcy Marciniuk receives the Canadian Lung Association’s highest honor – the prestigious Founders Award

Pat Smith, Vice Chair of the volunteer Board of the Lung Association of Saskatchewan presents the 2013 Canadian Lung Association Founders Award to Dr. Darcy Marciniuk at the Respirology State of the Art Conference, Saskatoon, June 1, 2013.

Saskatoon, June 3, 2013 -"The Canadian Lung Association Founders Award honors individuals who have devoted themselves to the affairs of The Lung Association and to the cause of respiratory health. The award recognizes exemplary innovation or commitment towards lung health and this year Saskatchewan’s own Dr. Darcy Marciniuk received this acclaimed honor," says Dr. Brian Graham who is the President and CEO of the Lung Association of Saskatchewan (LAS). "This award is conferred once every two years and we were pleased to celebrate and recognize Dr. Marciniuk at the Lung Association of Saskatchewan’s annual Respirology State of the Art Conference that was held on Saturday, June 1 in Saskatoon," he adds.

Dr. Marciniuk was raised in Hafford, SK and obtained his MD from the University of Saskatchewan. He completed internal medicine training at the University of Western Ontario and respiratory training at the University of Manitoba.  In 1990, Dr. Marciniuk was first recruited to Saskatchewan through a Lung Association Professorship and he joined the Respiratory Division at that time. In 2003, the Lung Association initiated a COPD Professorship and research grant that was a key factor in retaining Dr. Marciniuk in Saskatchewan since he is in high demand by other universities.

From 2006 – 2013 Dr. Marciniuk was the Head of the Division of Respirology, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. Under his leadership the Division has become one of the leading centres of respiratory care and research in the country.  He has recruited outstanding new respirologists and launched new programs in interventional respirology, sleep medicine and regional transplant services in Saskatchewan.

Dr. Marciniuk is a well-recognized and respected world leader in lung health and a pioneer in implementing the concept of chronic disease management for COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease – the new name for emphysema and chronic bronchitis).  He has conducted extensive research on COPD and developed Saskatchewan’s COPD pulmonary rehabilitation programs. He is the lead author of the Canadian guidelines for COPD management. He has served on the expert committee for RESPTrec in the development of the COPDTrec program, which was developed by the Lung Association of Saskatchewan and is Canada’s leading program.  He provides webinars and speaks at training sessions for respiratory educators and patient information forums, and has given more than 230 other invited presentations nationally and internationally.  He has authored over 100 peer-reviewed scientific publications and he collaborates with research groups nationally and internationally.

Dr. Marciniuk volunteers his time generously.  He is the past president of Canadian Thoracic Society and the Saskatchewan Thoracic Society, was on the Canadian Lung Association Board of Directors, and the Lung Association of Saskatchewan Board of Directors (2006 – 2013) as Chair of its Medical Advisory Committee. "Over 23 years of service, Dr. Marciniuk has unstintingly contributed an amazing amount of volunteer time to the Lung Association," states Brian Graham.

Last year, on October 23, 2012, Dr. Marciniuk was installed as the President of the American College of Chest Physicians.  This is the first time that a non-American has held this honor in the 77-year history of this prestigious organisation which is the world’s largest society of lung specialists.

"I am honored to receive this award, but in truth this recognizes more than a single individual," said Dr. Marciniuk upon accepting the award. "I am surrounded by innovative and highly devoted people who take the initiative to advance lung health. This is a shared success," added Dr. Marciniuk.

About COPD
COPD is fourth leading cause of death in Canada and will soon be the third. It kills more women annually than breast cancer. COPD affects the airways of the lung, making it very difficult to breathe. COPD can also destroy the tiny air sacs in the lung which impairs the ability of the lung to bring life-giving oxygen in to the body. For more information about COPD, contact the Lung Association.

About The Lung Association
Established in 1911, The Lung Association is Saskatchewan’s oldest health charity. It is the leading organization for science-based information, research, education, support programs and advocacy on lung health issues in Saskatchewan – 1- 888-566-5864 - www.sk.lung.ca.

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For more information contact:

Dr. Brian Graham,
President and CEO,
The Lung Association of Saskatchewan
Phone: 306-343-9511
Email: brian.graham@sk.lung.ca