Education
Through our education program, Breathe with MD, Inc. has developed a movement of proactive individuals and families affected by Neuromuscular Disease (NMD) who are informed about breathing muscle weakness. In addition to this website, we curate, create, and post educational content on our social media platforms. We also send our email subscribers a monthly update relevant to respiratory involvement in NMD.
Through our education program, Breathe with MD, Inc. has developed a movement of proactive individuals and families affected by Neuromuscular Disease (NMD) who are informed about breathing muscle weakness. In addition to this website, we curate, create, and post educational content on our social media platforms. We also send our email subscribers a monthly update relevant to respiratory involvement in NMD.
Returning for a third year in Spring 2026 (enrollment and course open date to be announced), our introductory level online course, "Breathing Muscle Weakness 101," offered in the CourseNetworking (CN) platform, was developed specifically for those living with a known or strongly suspected Neuromuscular Disease (NMD), i.e. Muscular Dystrophy, Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Congenital Myopathy, or other conditions under the "MDA USA umbrella of muscle diseases" and loved ones of those individuals, (i.e. parent, guardian, sibling, spouse, significant other, or partner).
Online course participants learn, among other key topics, what causes respiratory involvement in NMD, evidence-based management and intervention options for breathing and coughing weakness, and what may help to avert decline. They gain the knowledge and confidence to engage in medical self-advocacy (speak up) in scenarios where clinicians may be inexperienced in NMD and may prescribe interventions that are dangerous and/or unhelpful. The course is self-paced, primarily video-based, and does not provide medical advice.
The course's social-type community allows participants to communicate with the course instructor, Breathe with MD, Inc. board members, and their peers enrolled in the course. Lesson-specific polls and reading materials provide additional opportunities to engage with course content. An optional course quiz tests course-takers' knowledge.
Online course participants learn, among other key topics, what causes respiratory involvement in NMD, evidence-based management and intervention options for breathing and coughing weakness, and what may help to avert decline. They gain the knowledge and confidence to engage in medical self-advocacy (speak up) in scenarios where clinicians may be inexperienced in NMD and may prescribe interventions that are dangerous and/or unhelpful. The course is self-paced, primarily video-based, and does not provide medical advice.
The course's social-type community allows participants to communicate with the course instructor, Breathe with MD, Inc. board members, and their peers enrolled in the course. Lesson-specific polls and reading materials provide additional opportunities to engage with course content. An optional course quiz tests course-takers' knowledge.
"Breathing Muscle Weakness 101" Course Requirements -
Optional Consideration for the Course -
- Ability to see and read written English and hear and understand spoken English
- Access to a desktop computer, laptop, or notepad device with audio (The course may be accessed from a smartphone, but course content may be difficult to see.)
- Internet access capable of streaming videos
- Ability to check email and follow instructions to create a password for the provided course account
- Ability to log onto a provided URL (web address) in an Internet browser such as Google Chrome, Safari, Microsoft Edge, etc., with a provided user ID and self-created password and navigate through a website-styled online course
Optional Consideration for the Course -
- Ability to print lesson slides and supplemental materials for future reference
Our organization further supports our mission through the following.
Support
Outreach
Supplies Distribution
Pulse Oximeters
Mentoring
Support
Outreach
Supplies Distribution
Pulse Oximeters
Mentoring