This week we welcome Catherine Anderson to the show. Catherine is a researcher and airway stenosis advocate specializing in using the power of communities to drive insights. For the past 18 years, Catherine has also lived with an incredibly rare airway disease, Idiopathic Subglottic Stenosis.In 2009, Catherine set up Living with Idiopathic Subglottic Stenosis --- which has become the world’s largest support group for this condition. She speaks at conferences around the world, has written numerous articles and papers for international peer-reviewed laryngology journals, and is involved in helping doctors with medical studies aimed at helping patients with this disease.You can discover more about Catherine and her story at whenthecastsaway.net and more about the condition of airway stenosis via the Facebook Group Living with Idiopathic Subglottic Stenosis.Show Notes:

• North American Airway Collaboration: https://noaac.net/
• Idiopathic Subglottic Stenosis - A Rough Guide for Beginners: http://whenthecatsaway.net/isgs-the-rough-guide/
• Vasculitis involves inflammation of the blood vessels. The inflammation can cause the walls of the blood vessels to thicken, which reduces the width of the passageway through the vessel. If blood flow is restricted, it can result in organ and tissue damage.
• The Vanderbilt Study: Treatment alternatives in rare diseases; assessment of options in idiopathic subglottic stenosis
• Airway Defects - Facebook Kids and Parents Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/646625368747228/?fref=ts
• Peak-flow meters on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/peak-flow-meter/s?k=peak+flow+meter
• Peak-flow meeter guidance and guidelines: https://www.aafa.org/asthma/asthma-diagnosis/lung-function-tests/peak-flow-meters.aspx
• Subglottic Stenosis in Children - Nationwide Children's: https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/conditions/subglottic-stenosis