Lou Milanesi uses the harmonica to help people with breathing problems

Lou Milanesi uses the harmonica to help people with breathing problems

A respiratory therapist at Erlanger Health System uses the harmonica to help his patients.

Lou Milanesi, who moved to the Chattanooga area from New Hampshire nine years ago, began teaching Harmonicas for Health a few years ago.

It's a 12-week course for COPD patients and he notes that participants have really enjoyed the instruction, encouragement and improvement in their breathing.

His wife Janet notes, “Lou is fully dedicated to these students, spending extra unpaid time with them and spending a lot of money out of his own pocket.”

“The students are not necessarily particularly talented, but they benefit in many ways as they struggle with incurable lung problems. Most of them are dependent on oxygen 24 hours a day, but that doesn't detract from their smiles or their music.”

Mr. Milanesi heard about Harmonicas for Health from the COPD Foundation about four years ago and thought it would be a fun way to do breathing exercises. He tried to get the program going for about a year and eventually ordered the set and taught himself to play. Then he eventually started using it with some of his COPD patients.

Ms Milanesi says: “Some of them worked really hard and practiced every day. They were able to breathe much better and entertain their grandchildren while they practiced.”

She adds, “When we moved to this area, Lou started having trouble breathing. He was always very active and would hike around Dartmouth Hospital where he worked. The Appalachian Trail goes through this area, not far from the hospital.

“He just didn't have the stamina to hike for long periods of time here in the heat. Since he's a respiratory therapist, he looked into it and found that allergies and respiratory problems are very common in this valley. That sparked his interest in the harmonica program.”

Harmonicas for Health meets on Thursdays at the Lifestyle Center downtown.

Click here to watch a video of the program.

For more information, call 423 778-3275.