By Dean Diersing, MS, RCEP, EP-C, EIM3, CCRP, FAACVPR | January 28, 2021
Dear AACVPR Members,
Happy New Year!
I know I’m not alone in feeling a sense of relief watching the calendar flip and saying goodbye to 2020 – a difficult year, both personally and professionally, for all of us. And while we’re not Cinderella and the stroke of midnight didn’t change everything, I feel optimistic about the year ahead. My wish for our community this year is that 2021 will be a year of celebration. This year, we’ll celebrate science and the vaccine’s hopeful end to COVID-19. We’ll also celebrate a return to togetherness, the strength of our vibrant community of cardiopulmonary rehabilitation professionals.
Kicking off our celebrations is Cardiac Rehabilitation Week, February 14-20, and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Week, March 14-20. CR and PR Weeks are the perfect opportunity for your program to take stock in your accomplishments through a tumultuous year and celebrate the impact of cardiac and pulmonary rehab. I encourage you to take a look at the tools AACVPR has compiled to help you make a splash with your celebrations this year including Zoom backgrounds and special event ideas. You’ll also find fun merchandise including CR and PR Week face masks!
If anyone has ever asked you and your colleagues, “what do you do all day anyway?” CR and PR Weeks are the chance to show ‘em! Submit a video to AACVPR’s ‘A Day in the Life’ contest to enter to win two free registrations to the AACVPR 36th Annual Meeting.
We all deserve to have a little fun as we remerge and rebuild this year. I’m thrilled to be along for the ride with this resilient community. I’m looking forward to seeing photos from your CR and PR Week celebrations as well as your creative videos. And I’m especially eager to celebrate together at the 36th AACVPR Annual Meeting in my home state of Texas later this year. Until then, let’s connect on AACVPR Central.
To new beginnings!
Dean Diersing, MS, RCEP, EP-C, EIM3, CCRP, FAACVPR
AACVPR President