06/05/2026
For Judy Hall and Alice Hadley, JCMC's Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program has become about much more than exercise. It has helped them regain strength, improve their breathing, and continue doing the things they love most in life. Along the way, it also created a friendship built on encouragement and determination.✨
Directed by Keith Baker, the program helps patients living with chronic lung conditions such as COPD improve endurance, breathing techniques, and overall quality of life through supervised exercise and education.
Ms. Judy says the program has made a dramatic difference in her daily life.
“I just came from rehab and rode 45 minutes and almost 2.5 miles,” Ms. Judy said. “I used to have to use oxygen when exerting myself, but now I don’t use it at all. I attribute most of that to this program.”
Before pulmonary rehabilitation, she says even simple tasks required frequent rest breaks.
“Before, I would do a little and then sit down and rest,” she said. “Now I can go much longer before I need to stop.”
Ms. Judy credits both the program and Baker’s encouragement for helping her stay motivated.
“They don’t come any better than Keith Baker,” she said. “He makes you want to do what you have to do. He likes to joke around, but still keeps you motivated.”
She says pulmonary rehabilitation has also contributed to her losing more than 70 pounds.
“I told him I wanted to be the poster child for this program,” she said with a laugh. “I really want people to know about it.”
Ms. Judy encourages others not to give up if progress feels slow.
“It’s not a quick fix,” she said. “You have to have patience and you have to want better for yourself.”
For Ms. Alice, the program has helped her continue living the active rural lifestyle she enjoys.
“I told Keith that if I hadn’t gotten into this program, I probably wouldn’t be here today because of my COPD and not being active,” Ms. Alice said. “This program has really taught me how to breathe.”
She attends pulmonary rehabilitation twice a week and says Baker carefully monitors patients during each session.
“He makes sure our oxygen is good and our blood pressure is good,” she said. “That’s important because you don’t always know those things yourself.”
Outside the program, Ms. Alice stays busy at home caring for seven acres, cutting her own grass, and tending to nearly 40 chickens, a dog, and a donkey she has owned for 26 years.
“I don’t think I would be able to do all that I do if I had not started pulmonary rehab two years ago,” she said.
Baker says stories like Ms. Judy’s and Ms. Alice’s show how pulmonary rehabilitation can improve both health and confidence.
“Pulmonary rehabilitation is about helping people regain strength and improve their quality of life,” Baker said. “Seeing patients become more active and able to enjoy daily life again is what makes this program so meaningful.”
Ms. Judy says the friendships formed in the program are another important part of the experience.
“We have a little social club going on down there,” she said. “We have a good time.”
Jenkins County Medical Center’s Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program provides supervised exercise, education, breathing techniques, and support for patients with chronic lung conditions. For more information, call (478) 982-4221.
