Stacey L. Smith, a registered respiratory therapist at Riverside Walter Reed Hospital in Gloucester, recently earned recognition as a Certified Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Educator by the American Association of Respiratory Care.

Thanks to Smith’s advanced training, "the staff will be better equipped to educate patients on how to better manage their COPD so they can enjoy a better quality of life," said Angie Healy, Walter Reed’s director of marketing and public relations.

"The hospital is "excited about Stacey Smith’s achievement," Healy said, and is "looking forward to seeing all the great things she will do to make a difference in the medical care provided to this community."

Smith said she completed specialized instruction offered online to become certified as a COPD educator. Now, she will be better able to provide recommendations on how patients with COPD can better manage their lives. "It is not c...