Charlene Marshall,  —

I believe that people enter our lives when we need them most. I have always made friends easily, and I make an effort to grow and sustain these relationships. I value my connections and strive to nurture them. I have friendships with people I met while traveling and…

Arguably, one of the most soul-searching questions someone can ask is, “What is my purpose in this life?” The answer to that question isn’t always easy and it likely changes as we grow and develop. When a life-threatening illness like idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is added to the…

While it sounds cliché to talk about the importance of focusing on quality moments in our lives rather than quantity, doing so is how I choose to live and cope with my life-threatening lung disease. I have learned so much since being diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis…

Upon being diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in 2016, I predicted that many of my relationships would change. What I didn’t know, which might have been the scariest of all the “unknowns,” was how those relationships would change. I often wondered: Will my relationships with my parents get…

Many of us living with chronic illness know the importance of keeping specialist appointments because of the length of time it can take to reschedule them. The decision to cancel a consultation due to unforeseen circumstances can be agonizing. I felt that regret today when I chose to…

The Pulmonary Fibrosis News Forums is celebrating its first birthday this month. As a forums moderator, I wrote information-focused columns ahead of the launch in early 2018 to give people an idea of what we hoped to achieve with this new initiative. I didn’t foresee how successful…

Since my diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) nearly three years ago, I have changed in many fundamental ways. While my values and views and the activities I enjoy have stayed the same, my approach to life has been transformed since my diagnosis. I now try to…

Any patient living with a chronic illness is familiar with the topic of self-care. It’s something that many of our medical team members, especially the allied healthcare professionals, talk to us about. But practicing self-care is not always as easy as it sounds. It has taken me nearly…

It’s cold and flu season, and unfortunately, people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and compromised immune systems are bound to get sick. Despite our best efforts, it is likely that we’ll end up with the flu, a cold, or a more serious respiratory illness such as pneumonia. It…

Last year, I wrote a gratitude miniseries reflecting on the positive things that took place each month. While I am not continuing that miniseries this year, I did reflect on why this month was so great for me after a colleague commented on how at ease I looked…