#RCWEEK26

Respiratory Care Week is hosted by AARC

Promoted by

October 25–31, 2026 · #RCWEEK26

Take a deep breath. Now thank the person who made it possible.

Respiratory therapists are there for first breaths, last breaths, and every hard breath in between. This week, let’s make sure every one of them hears thank you.

Send a thank-you Read the wall

Be one of the first to say thank you.

Gloved hands forming a heart around a pair of lungs, glowing in a sunrise sky

By the numbers, RTs are kind of a big deal.

142,000

respiratory therapists working across the U.S.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

8 in 10

work in hospitals, from the NICU to the ICU to the ER.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Chronic lung disease is the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S. RTs are on the front line.

CDC FastStats, 2024 data

1982

the year Respiratory Care Week went national. 44 years of thanks, and still not enough.

AARC

Share your story

Pick a card. Say it out loud.

Maybe an RT got you through a bad asthma night. Maybe they were in the NICU for your baby’s first breath, or the ICU for a parent. Maybe you just work next to one. Tell them.

We read every story, and nothing goes live without your OK.

Choose your card

Not sure where to start? Start anywhere.

“The night an RT…”

“What I never got to say…”

“To the team who…”

A few sentences is plenty.

What happens next

We read every story. Our team reviews each one.
We may edit lightly for length and clarity, and to remove private details.
We ask before publishing. We’ll email you first.
You stay in control. Ask us to take it down anytime: info@ahis.org.

Leave this empty

Who are you thanking?

In your own words

Please leave out details like last names of patients, dates of birth or medical record numbers. We’ll remove anything like that before publishing.

Your first name

Only so we can reach you. Never published.

I’m a…

Show my name as

+ Add more (optional): last name, city or state, a team photo or video link

Last name

City or state

Photo of your RT team

JPG or PNG, under 8 MB. Only people who agreed to be shown. No patients.

Video or post link

Your permission

I am 18 or older. This is my own story or my family’s. If it names or shows someone else, I have their permission. Healthcare providers: please thank your colleagues, but don’t share a patient’s story.

Release. I grant the Alliance for Health Implementation Science, Inc. (AHIS) permission to edit my note and photo for length and clarity and to publish them on respiratorycareweek.org, with my name shown as I chose above. AHIS will email me before publishing, and I can ask AHIS to remove it at any time.

Help more people see it (optional): AHIS may also share my note on Focus on the Patient social media.

See our privacy notice and terms.

Wall of thanks

One thank-you for every breath that mattered.

Add yours →

The wall is waiting for its first thank-you. Will it be yours?

Every note you send shows up here, so respiratory therapists everywhere can see how many lives they touch.

Write the first note

Seven days of thanks

One week. Seven ways to show some love.

Sun · Oct 25

Take a breath. Seriously. Notice it. Then post why you’re thankful for an RT.

Mon · Oct 26

Send a card. Pick one above and send it straight to an RT you know.

Tue · Oct 27

Tell your story. Share the moment an RT made a difference for you or your family.

Wed · Oct 28

Treat the team. Snacks for the respiratory department. Nobody has ever turned down snacks.

Thu · Oct 29

Shout it out. Tag your hospital’s RT team on social with #RCWEEK26.

Fri · Oct 30

Wear blue. Show your support for the RTs in your life and post a photo with #RCWEEK26.

Sat · Oct 31

Pass it on. Tag three friends and ask them to thank an RT too. Happy Halloween, no tricks.

Celebrating your RT team?

Send the whole department a thank-you, then share it so everyone knows the people who keep your hospital breathing.

Thank your team

Spread the thanks. Tag three friends.

Download a graphic, copy the caption, and post it with #RCWEEK26. Hospitals, nonprofits and employers: these are yours too.

Social graphic: glowing coral lungs on navy with the words You’re breathtaking, #RCWEEK26

“To every RT who helped someone I love breathe: thank you. #RCWEEK26”

Download graphic

Social graphic: an oxygen mask whose tubing loops into a heart on orange, with the words Thanks for the air support, #RCWEEK26

“First breaths, last breaths, every breath in between. Thank you, RTs. #RCWEEK26”

Download graphic

Social graphic: 142,000 reasons to say thank you, above two hands making a heart around a pair of lungs, #RCWEEK26

“There are 142,000 RTs in the U.S. I’m thanking one today. Your turn. #RCWEEK26”

Download graphic

Social graphic: blue lungs giving a thumbs up, with the words Breathe in. Thank out. #RCWEEK26

“Breathe in. Thank out. Tagging 3 friends to thank an RT this week. #RCWEEK26”

Download graphic