Need inspiration? Then you can breathe easy. This year, Fanshawe's up-and-coming Respiratory Therapists are taking their novel approach to health-care education and charity fundraising to new levels with the annual Respiratory Therapy Student Conference.

No student at Fanshawe College is any slouch at fundraising, if the ubiquitous bake sales and coin drives are any indication, and our nationally renowned programs should be a good hint to our stance on education. So five years ago, a group of Fanshawe Respiratory Students put two and two together and came up with $800 by hosting a health-care conference, donating the sum to their long-time charity, the Lung Association.

The conference covers a broad spectrum of issues in respiratory care and includes an interprofessional panel of speakers ranging from the nationally renowned Dr. Jim Lewis of the University of Western Ontario's Department of Physiology and Pharmacology to Heather Morris, a 2005 Fanshawe graduate of the Respiratory Therapy program. With topics going as far abroad as global medicine and as close to home as home-care therapies, they expect a good turnout.

"We expect at least 60 students," commented Nadine Meek, Vice- President of the Respiratory Therapy Student Federation and one of the foremost organizers behind the event. "We have opened up the conference to students in other RT programs from schools such as Michener, St. Clair and Conestoga Colleges, and we have received a significant response from those students. It will be great to get to know students ... from other schools and to gain valuable networking opportunities."

But this opportunity is hardly limited to Respiratory students. "Even if you aren't in the RT program, I think the conference will still be very beneficial to anyone who is interested in learning about different topics in the health care field," Meek enthused. "For example, we have a speaker coming in to talk about electronic stethoscopes, which doesn't pertain solely to RTs and would be very applicable to almost any allied health professional. As well, even if some of the topics are more RT-focused, I think it would be a good experience ... to learn about what RTs do, how they interact with other health care professionals and to make connections with fellow Fanshawe students."

Networking is yet another aspect of the conference that attendees have to look forward to. With representatives from the Middlesex- London Health Unit and local medicare companies in attendance, student health practitioners can hobnob with their future employers over the conference's complementary breakfast and lunch. And, if last year's conference was any indication, the synergy of so many health-care practitioners in one room can be almost exhilarating.

"It was a blast!" said Leann Trowbridge, a second-year RT student . "I had such an amazing time last year! Great people!"

Her classmates were also enthusiastic in their responses. "Oh yeah, we're excited!" Stacey Gibson added.

The Fanshawe faculty are hardly less pleased than the students.

"It's pretty exciting that the Respiratory Therapy students have offered to provide this event," Paul Williams said. As Coordinator of the RT program at Fanshawe and a former Paramedic, Williams is well situated to see the response in the greater community to this endeavour. "It's well recognized interprovincially, as well as being a unique Fanshawe experience. We're the only college offering this conference so far."

Students looking to get in on this 'unique Fanshawe experience' can also build their portfolio, as certificates of participation will be extended to all in attendance, yet another perk sure to attract students from health-care programs that expect high extracurricular involvement.

To RVSP your place at the conference, contact the RT ticket sales reps Dipesh Patel at d_patel7@fanshaweonline.ca or Charlene Male at c_male3@fanshaweonline.ca. Hope to see you there!