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Video: Every Breath a Victory: One Man’s Fight to Reclaim His Life

Bruce walks confidently alongside Monadnock Community Hospital's Pulmonary Rehab team on a sunny outdoor track, showcasing the transformative impact of the program.
Video: Every Breath a Victory: One Man's Fight to Reclaim His Life
Discover the Life-Changing Impact of Pulmonary Rehab

Heartfelt Stories

At Monadnock Community Hospital, we are proud to share our Heartfelt Stories featuring inspiring testimonials from our patients, employees, volunteers, donors, and community members. Each story reflects the exceptional care, support, and compassion that define our commitment to our community. Join us in celebrating these remarkable journeys and the difference compassionate care can make.

One Man's Story of Hope from Monadnock Community Hospital's Pulmonary Rehab Program—and How You Can Help Write the Next Chapter

A Life Suspended in a Breath

Most of us breathe 23,000 times a day without a second thought. But for Bruce Barsalou, each breath was a battle. At his lowest point, he was wheelchair bound, unable to drive, and struggling with the simplest daily activities.

“First walk test I ever did, I made less than 200 feet,” Bruce recalls. His world had shrunk to the confines of his limitations, each day a reminder of what he could no longer do.

For years, Bruce’s world shrank with each labored breath as COPD tightened its grip. Simple moments most take for granted—carrying groceries, climbing stairs, laughing without coughing—slipped away like sand through his fingers.

Finding Light in the Darkness

Everything changed when Bruce was referred to Monadnock Community Hospital’s Pulmonary Rehab Program. What followed would transform not just his health, but his entire outlook on life.

“Once he started getting motivated, his accomplishments were many, he just started to put on the gas and change his attitude,” Essy Moverman (RRT, LRCP), one of Bruce’s respiratory therapists, remembers. “We have never seen anybody go from being wheelchair bound, not driving, being so down, to somebody that was using his rollator and going around the track and getting put on the transplant list.”

“And then it’s like a switch gets turned on, all your energy comes back, you breathe in again. You feel so much better. It’s a road, you gotta work at it. And they help me do that.”

The Climb Back to Life

What followed wasn’t just physical rehabilitation—it was a resurrection of spirit. Through dedicated work with the program, Bruce made remarkable progress. “By the time the girls got done with me, I made 600 feet here. But at my final walk test at Mass General, I did 800 feet. So that qualified me to get my transplant.”

In an extraordinary stroke of fortune, Bruce received his new lungs in just one week—a waiting period that often stretches into years for many patients.

Breathing New Life into Others

Today, Bruce continues to be an inspiration to others in the program. “He’s just like an ambassador,” Essy says. “We’ll be with a group of people exercising and we look up and there he is, saying hi to us because he happened to be in the area.”

“It’s like a switch gets turned on,” Bruce reflects on his transformation. “All your energy comes back, you breathe in again. You feel so much better. It’s a road, you gotta work at it. And they help me do that.“

Small But Mighty: Help Us Give Others Hope

Bruce’s story demonstrates the profound impact of Monadnock Community Hospital’s Pulmonary Rehab Program. As the team says, “We are small, but we’re mighty. We have hope when others don’t. Each person is very important to us and they’re like family.”

His gratitude is profound and simple: “I can’t thank you guys enough. You gave my life back.”

Bruce confidently exercises on a fitness machine at Monadnock Community Hospital, demonstrating the progress achieved through the Pulmonary Rehab program

“I can’t thank you guys enough. You gave my life back.”

Make Someone's Next Breath Easier

Support Monadnock Community Hospital and the MCH Pulmonary Rehab Program today. “This program’s well worth whatever it costs,” as Bruce attests. Your donation helps ensure that others can find the same hope and healing that Bruce did.

Every donation, like every breath, keeps life flowing forward.

Donate Now

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