Dr. Robert HeadrickGrowing up in Chattanooga, Dr. Robert Headrick never thought he’d become an environmentalist. Nor did he plan to focus his medical practice on lung disease.
But after moving back to the Scenic City in 2000, Headrick noticed a huge void of physicians concentrating on lung problems, as well as a vast number of older patients unable to breathe well – perhaps remnants from Chattanooga’s days as America’s dirtiest city.
“Historically, lung disease has been seen as a dirty disease – something that somebody did to themselves,” says Headrick.
“But approximately 20 percent of lung cancer patients have never smoked. Science is not entirely sure why that is, but you can’t deny that the air we’re breathing has an impact on overall lung health.”
This was particularly true in the late 1960s when a thick, black cloud hovered over Chattanooga. During this time downtown businessmen kept spare white shirts in their office because of their sooty commute, and the mountains were often shrouded in a thick haze, rarely visible from downtown. While the Scenic City has made great strides, there is still much work ahead, notes Headrick.