The Unsung Lung Podcast
Lung health is important. Join host Jacob Sperling, Health Promotion Coordinator for Alberta Lung, as he delves into the world of lung health and lung disease. 1 in 5 Albertans will struggle with lung disease in their lifetime. We need to make lung health a central focus in our overall well-being. This podcast aims to educate you, the listener, on how to protect yourself and embrace compassion for others who are struggling with lung disease. To support our podcast, please visit www.patreon.com/unsunglung. We appreciate every supporter and every dollar goes to helping Canadians with lung disease!
Episodes
Not all scientific research is done under a microscope lens or with a large MRI machine. Some of the most profound research is done using the lived of experience of patients to improve the healthcare system and the treatments that future patients will receive. On this edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob speaks with Michelle Dean from the PROPEL Lung Cancer Study. They discuss how patient stories can help make the system bette...
Vaccination is contentious. But numbers don't lie. Vaccines help millions of people every year escape certain illness and even death in many circumstances. On the first episode of 2026 on The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob chats with Betty Golightly, a pharmacist and health instructor. They discuss respiratory illness and vaccines, herd immunity, and how a low vaccine rate can lead to a strained healthcare system. This episode touches ...
The holiday season is always filled with joy, hope, and family. This episode is no different. On December's edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob chats with Patrick Caple, a double lung transplant recipient. They discuss the challenges throughout the entire transplant journey, Alberta's healthcare system, and the importance of a strong support group. This episode is perfect if you're looking for that warm and cozy feeling this ...
It's cold outside! And you know what that means, Radon Action Month! Jacob chats with Andrew Arshinoff from Radon Care about testing your homes for this colourless, odourless, radioactive gas. The two discuss different studies related to radon, how mitigation works, and what to do if you are a little skeptical about everything radon-related. November is a great month to remind ourselves that, oftentimes, it is the invisible things ...
October's edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast puts the future at the forefront. Jacob chats with Dr. Giovani Ferrara, a Professor of Medicine at the University of Alberta, about all things wearable technology and lung health. They discuss using AI to predict lung health flare-ups, digital health and its real life applications, and how individual statistics can have population-wide impacts. This is the show if you love technology in ...
On September's edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast, we take a step back and look at lung health research from a 20,000 foot view. Jacob speaks with Dr. Robin Urquhart, an Associate Professor at Dalhousie University and Canadian Cancer Society Endowed Chair. They chat about Dr. Urquhart's academic journey, her current research on lung cancer outside the smoking realm, and the future of lung health research. Join Jacob as he dives dee...
August's episode releases right before Heritage Day in Alberta and what better way to celebrate all the different cultures in Canada than with a discussion that touches each and every part of our great nation! On this edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob talks with Manuel Escoto about the Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program (CDTRP). They discuss Manuel's own journey with organ transplant, how the CDTRP helps...
You probably know that this podcast is brought to you by Alberta Lung, but do you know what other health programs your local not-for-profit lung health charity has to offer? On July's edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob chats with Jamie Happy, Alberta Lung's Health Promotion Coordinator! They discuss the main health initiatives at Alberta Lung, new and exciting programs that the organization is rolling out, and update you on ...
Vaping is sort of an enigma. It must be bad for us, right? But there seems to be limited research into its negative health consequences. On June's episode of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob chats with Dr. Janice Leung, a Principal Investigator for the new CLOUD Study: the Canadian Lung Outcomes in Users of Vaping Devices Study. They discuss the format of the research, what kinds of toxins we already know are present in vaping device...
Our guests on May's edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast are Chamber Reclaimers: they are building better, more efficient, and more portable inhaler chambers. Jacob chats with Hollo Medical's co-founders, Dr. David Hodgson and Sara Fedullo, to discuss their new product and how it is an improvement on products currently available on the market. They cover topics like medical engineering, product design, and awards that their new produ...
On this edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast, we follow our guest from volunteer to career! Jacob sits down with Alberta Lung Volunteer and Respiratory Therapist, Robyn Gilmore, to chat about her path to becoming an RT. They discuss Alberta Lung's Breathe Smart! Program, what helpful leadership can do, and the life of a hospital-based RT. We follow Robyn's journey from Alberta Lung helper to respiratory warrior!
Stay Connected:
It's our second month in a row of talking to a patient advocate and this conversation certainly did not disappoint. On March's edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob chats with Dave Rasmussen, an advocate for those facing pulmonary fibrosis. They discuss Dave's diagnosis, his love of sport, and how he has more than doubled his life expectancy since diagnosis (hence, being called an outlier)! This is a great episode for those loo...
When nobody else will listen, stand up for yourself! On this edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob sits down with Maureen Harper, a patient diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension. They discuss the signs and symptoms of PH, the importance of patient advocacy, and how a lump on the front of her leg (of all places) led to her eventual diagnosis of a lung disease! This is a great episode for tips and tricks to maneuver through the h...
This is a fun one! For the first episode of 2025, Jacob chats with Mercedes and Anastasia from Small Bits of Happiness. They discuss how seeing the good in life and introducing joy in everyday activities can boost your lung and overall health! If you are looking for tips and tricks to make the regular a little more extraordinary, this is the episode for you!
Stay Connected:
To find programs and initiatives offered by Alberta Lung, ...
Welcome to the new and improved Unsung Lung Podcast! On the first episode of the new format, Jacob chats with the Co-Chair and CEO of Praxus Health, formerly known as 19 to Zero. They discuss everything from health misinformation to the new pulmonary function mobile test units that they are launching next year with the Government of Alberta. This is a great episode all about health behaviour and important initiatives that are happe...
It's a new era for The Unsung Lung Podcast! We're changing things up a little. You can still expect the same knowledge and expertise from our guests on the show, but just in less time. We're making the show shorter to better accommodate you, the listener. So sit back, relax, and enjoy learning about lung health, just in half the time!
To find programs and initiatives offered by Alberta Lung, visit: www.ablung.ca
It's November which means it's Radon Action Month! Join Jacob as he sits down with Dr. Dustin Pearson, a key part of the recent Cross-Canada Radon Survey released in October 2024. They discuss the impact that climate change has on radon levels, energy efficiency in homes, and how radon impacts our lung health! This is the most cutting edge research on radon so you don't want to miss this episode.
Stay Connected:
You've heard of the 'black plague', but what about the 'white plague'? This episode of the show is dedicated to Alberta Lung's 85th anniversary of advocating for lung health. On this month's edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob sits down with renowned tuberculosis expert, Dr. Anne Fanning. A member of the Order of Canada and one of Alberta's Physician's of the Century, Dr. Fanning knows her fair share about TB. They dive head ...
Access to care is one of the most pressing issues in Canadian healthcare. From long wait times at hospitals to low levels of family physicians throughout the country, this is an issue that spans across the entirety of medicine in Canada. But what about a pharmacist's take on access to care? On this edition of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob sits down with Dr. Tatiana Makhinova, a 2022 Lung Health Research Grant Winner. The two discu...
On the 30th episode of The Unsung Lung Podcast, Jacob sits down with veterinarian and Director of Animal Health at the Edmonton Humane Society, Dr. Michelle Meckelborg. Pivoting from our normal conversations about humans and lung health, the two discuss everything animals and pets! From short-nosed pugs to Dr. Meckelborg's real life experiences of treating animals in respiratory distress (spoiler alert, a porcupine!) we cover every...
Popular Podcasts
Two Guys (Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers). Five Rings (you know, from the Olympics logo). One essential podcast for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Bowen Yang (SNL, Wicked) and Matt Rogers (Palm Royale, No Good Deed) of Las Culturistas are back for a second season of Two Guys, Five Rings, a collaboration with NBC Sports and iHeartRadio. In this 15-episode event, Bowen and Matt discuss the top storylines, obsess over Italian culture, and find out what really goes on in the Olympic Village.
Listen to the latest news from the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina are here and have everyone talking. iHeartPodcasts is buzzing with content in honor of the XXV Winter Olympics We’re bringing you episodes from a variety of iHeartPodcast shows to help you keep up with the action. Follow Milan Cortina Winter Olympics so you don’t miss any coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics, and if you like what you hear, be sure to follow each Podcast in the feed for more great content from iHeartPodcasts.
Saskia Inwood woke up one morning, knowing her life would never be the same. The night before, she learned the unimaginable – that the husband she knew in the light of day was a different person after dark. This season unpacks Saskia’s discovery of her husband’s secret life and her fight to bring him to justice. Along the way, we expose a crime that is just coming to light. This is also a story about the myth of the “perfect victim:” who gets believed, who gets doubted, and why. We follow Saskia as she works to reclaim her body, her voice, and her life. If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal Team, email us at betrayalpod@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com