Final Session Season’s MEDtalks Series, Breathe Easy. Live Healthy, Featured Deep Dive into Respiratory Illnesses

Brockville – The final session of this season’s MEDtalks series, Breathe Easy. Live Healthy featured a deep dive into respiratory illnesses, with special guest Dr. Gerald Evans, Infectious Diseases Consultant, Kingston Health Sciences Centre, Professor of Medicine at Queen’s University.

Dr. Evans guided attendees through key topics affecting respiratory health, including respiratory tract infections, the seasonal nature of respiratory viruses, factors that influence virus stability and spread, and the most common causes of respiratory tract infections, such as rhinoviruses. He also discussed the impact of the common cold, approaches to testing for viral respiratory infections, and provided an in-depth look at vaccinations.

A major focus of the discussion was the “Big Three” respiratory viruses—COVID-19, influenza, and RSV—including their spread, prevention, and what we can expect from them in the upcoming fall season. The session concluded with an open forum, allowing participants to ask questions and engage directly with Dr. Evans.

The Brockville & District Hospital Foundation extends its sincere thanks to Dr. Evans for sharing his expertise and to all attendees for participating.  

Trish Buote, Executive Director, Brockville & District Hospital Foundation, shared: “We are thrilled to have hosted Dr. Evans for the final MEDtalks of the season.  His insights into respiratory health are invaluable to our community, and events like this help empower people with the knowledge they need to stay healthy.  We look forward to continuing these important conversations in our upcoming sessions.”

Julie Caffin, President and CEO of Brockville General Hospital, added: “It was a privilege to have Dr. Evans present and share his expertise with our community. Understanding respiratory illnesses and how to prevent them is more important than ever. We look forward to continuing to support the health and well-being of our community through these educational sessions.”

As we wrap up our first successful season of MEDtalks, we would like to extend our thanks to all of our speakers from the past four sessions, the Aquatarium for providing such a welcoming venue and to Thomas Harder and Christian von Cramon for their invaluable assistance.  A special thank you as well to Chris Blood-Rojas from Brockville General Marketing and Communications for his support and to everyone who attended these talks.

We hope that each session offered insights and information to help you stay informed about your health.

Save the date! MEDtalks will resume on January 21, focusing on Mental Health and well-being, offering the community another opportunity to learn from expert speakers and engage in important discussions

Couldn’t make it to this session? Don’t worry — a recording of the event will be posted soon on our website. And while you’re there, check out resources and highlights from all of our past MEDtalks: https://bdhfoundation.com/get-involved/medtalks/