The first Shawano A.W.A.K.E. Sleep Mask Style Show for people with sleep apnea is Tues., Sept 20, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at The Gathering, 2600 E. Richmond Street, Shawano. A.W.A.K.E. stands for Alert Wellness and Keeping Energetic, a program of the American Sleep Apnea Association of which ThedaCare At Home is a member.
A sleep mask, also known as a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) mask, is an effective method to treat sleep apnea, a chronic condition where muscles in the back of a person’s throat relax and the airway narrows or closes as one breathes in. As a result, throughout the night a person’s breathing repeatedly stops and starts. Those who suffer from sleep apnea can wake up to 30 times or more each hour, causing chronic fatigue and contributing to increased risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, obesity, and diabetes. Studies show that one in five adults suffer from mild sleep apnea and that one in 15 adults suffer from moderate to severe sleep apnea.
“If people are not using their CPAP because the mask is not comfortable, or they are having other problems with it, like leakage, then they are not experiencing the benefits of CPAP therapy,” said Sue Mangold, respiratory supervisor at ThedaCare At Home. “The purpose of the Sleep Mask Style Show is to show there are lots of options for CPAP masks.”
The first ThedaCare A.W.A.K.E. Sleep Mask Style Show was held in 2010 in Appleton with room for 30 people. According to Mangold, 60 people showed up that first night, and now ThedaCare plans for 300 people at the annual event. ”This is our first show in Shawano, and given the popularity of these shows in other areas, we are expecting a lot of interested people,” she said.
The schedule for the Shawano show on Sept. 20 is 5:30 to 6 p.m., registration and visits with CPAP manufacturers’ representatives; 6 to 7 p.m., sleep mask style show; and 7 to 7:30 p.m., a question and answer period. During the style show portion, ThedaCare respiratory therapists wear the masks while walking through the audience as the features, benefits, and differences of each mask are narrated by the emcee of the evening.
The event is free, however registration is required. Register by visiting www.thedacare.org or by calling ThedaCare On Call at 920.830.6877 or 800.236.2236, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more than 100 years, ThedaCare™ has been committed to finding a better way to deliver serious and complex healthcare to patients throughout Northeast Wisconsin. The organization serves over 200,000 patients annually and employs more than 7,000 healthcare professionals throughout the region. ThedaCare has seven hospitals located in Appleton, Neenah, Berlin, Waupaca, Shawano, New London and Wild Rose as well as 34 clinics in nine counties. ThedaCare is the first in Wisconsin to be a Mayo Clinic Care Network Member, giving specialists the ability to consult with Mayo Clinic experts on a patient’s care. ThedaCare is a non-profit healthcare organization with a level II trauma center, comprehensive cancer treatment, stroke and cardiac programs as well as a foundation dedicated to community service. For more information, visit www.thedacare.org or follow ThedaCare on Facebook and Twitter.
For more information, media may call the Theda Care Regional Medical Center-Neenah switchboard at 920.729.3100 and ask for the marketing person on call.
