How to Support Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month 2019

September is global pulmonary fibrosis awareness month. For this year’s awareness month, the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation is planning numerous events and activities to help bring attention to this serious respiratory condition. Recent studies estimate that over 200,000 people live with pulmonary fibrosis today with approximately 50,000 new cases diagnosed each year.¹ With so many people affected by the disease, Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month 2019 wants to spread information and raise funds to support the ongoing effort to improve treatment options and find a cure.

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Going #blueup4pf is @martina.yourclaritycoach and her #pfwarrior #GPFAM 💙💚

A post shared by Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (@pfforg) on Sep 30, 2016 at 12:41pm PDT

What Is Pulmonary Fibrosis (PF)?

Pulmonary Fibrosis is a lung disease, or rather a family of lung diseases, that is characterized by damaged or scarred lung tissue. In the most general sense, pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is the “scarring of the lungs.” Over time, the stiff scar tissue prevents your lungs from functioning properly making it increasingly difficult to breathe and for oxygen to get into your blood.²

Currently, there is no cure for pulmonary fibrosis and lung damage caused by the disease cannot be repaired. However, there are several medications and treatments that can ease the symptoms and improve quality of life. Depending on the stage of pulmonary fibrosis diagnosed, a lung transplant may be necessary.

Symptoms

Fatigue
Shortness of breath
Consistent, dry cough
Unexplained, drastic weight loss
Aching muscles and joints
Widening and rounding of fingertips or toes

Common Causes

Tobacco smoking (quitting cigarette smoking is highly recommended)
Pulmonary infections
Genetics
Airborne pollutants like silica dust, asbestos fibers, hard metal dust, toxic gasses, etc.
Radiation treatments
Certain medications like chemotherapy drugs, heart medications, and some antibiotics

Ways to Support Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month 2019

This September there are plenty of ways to get involved in spreading awareness of pulmonary fibrosis, its causes, treatment, and the communities it affects every day. Consider participating in one of the numerous activities the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) has scheduled throughout the month. There are also small things you can do by yourself which can cause a big impact.

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September is #pulmonaryfibrosisawarenessmonth In the days since my diagnosis, I’ve realized most people have never even heard of PF. Yet there are 50,000 new diagnoses every year. Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (one of the nearly 200 types of PF) kills 40,000 people every year—nearly the same amount as breast cancer—and yet many people don’t even know what it is. The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundations’s mission to raise awareness, provide education, and fund research is so important, as this disease does not yet have a cure, and many people die every year waiting for lung transplants. If you’d like to learn more, you can go to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation’s instagram @pfforg or visit their website at pulmonaryfibrosis.org to see what you can do to help us find a cure for PF 💙 #blueup4pf #pulmonaryfibrosis #PFwarrior #nonspecificinterstitialpneumonia #makeeverybreathcount

A post shared by Lara Lander (@lalovesthetide) on Sep 8, 2018 at 7:19am PDT

Participate in a PFF Walk

Join the third annual PFF Walk in Chicago on September 14, 2019. Patients, family, friends, and caregivers will build awareness and raise funds to support vital programs that help people diagnosed with PF and their families. People planning to register for this event are encouraged to create or join a team, or learn more about the individual fundraiser option. If you cannot make it to Chicago, you can sign up for a virtual walk. There are also other walks in Washington D.C. and Dallas scheduled for October.

Donate on the Day of Giving

Show your support to the foundation and the community it supports by making a donation on September 30, 2019. This new Day of Giving celebrates the culmination of the global pulmonary fibrosis awareness month. PFF’s goal during this 24-hour giving challenge is to raise $25,000 which will go to sustaining vital research and support programs.

Spread Awareness on Social Media

Social media has become a powerful tool to not only build awareness for little known diseases like pulmonary fibrosis, but also connect and empower patients, families, caregivers, and others in the PF community.

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September is Global Pulmonary Awareness Month, and UAB's Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine is #BlueUp4PF

A post shared by UAB (@exploreuab) on Sep 7, 2016 at 10:27am PDT

Every September, the PFF launches a 30 Facts In 30 Days campaign sharing trusted, medically accurate facts about PF through its numerous social channels: @pfforg on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube. Be sure to retweet and share these posts on your own social media accounts so they can reach your followers and educate a wider audience.

https://twitter.com/PFFORG/status/1158460524004290561

You can also participate in the #BlueUp4PF social media campaign. Honoring the memory of PFF ambassador Diane Reichert,³ show the world your support of Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month 2019 by wearing as much blue (and PFF merchandise) as possible and publicly sharing a selfie with hashtag #BlueUp4PF. Blue wigs, nail polish, and even blue hair dye are sometimes involved. Participants can get really creative!

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