Charlene Marshall,  —

For most of my adult life I was blissfully unaware of rare diseases. This lasted until 2016, when I was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a life-threatening and progressive lung disease that affects about 200,000 Americans, with 50,000 new cases diagnosed annually in the U.S. Like many others,…

Last month, I suffered a significant injury to my left knee. I had just parked outside a medical building for an appointment. The sun was setting on a relatively mild Canadian winter day, and I slipped on a patch of black ice, dislocating my patella and falling hard onto the…

In times of hardship, I’ve found nothing to be more valuable than human connection. After I was diagnosed in 2016 with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a life-threatening and debilitating lung disease, it felt as though no one could relate. That changed when I started talking with other IPF patients. Sharing…

One of the unique challenges of living with an invisible illness is figuring out how to tell others. Although I’ve lived with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) for five years, it’s still not easy for me to disclose my condition. Most people wouldn’t know that this life-threatening and relentless disease has…

As we approach year three of the COVID-19 pandemic, I am tired. I’m sure we all are. This pandemic fatigue, combined with the January blues, makes it a difficult time of year for many, and leaves the world feeling heavy and dark. While there is no immediate fix, being…

I have tried countless times to describe idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). In 2019, I tried to explain what it physically feels like, but I still can’t find words that adequately convey how hard living with IPF is, especially as it progresses. I never do the experience justice. Since most…

The weight of the world is getting heavier. With the holiday season underway and the omicron variant of the coronavirus spreading, feelings of anxiety, sadness, and fear of social isolation are increasing. While I acknowledge that predictions are not always accurate, current scientific models suggest that this variant…

It’s hard to believe that the holiday season is here, and Christmas is less than two weeks away. Although many family and holiday traditions will likely resume thanks to COVID-19 vaccinations, it’s still surreal to think that this is our second time celebrating the holidays amid a pandemic. In…

A doctor once told me he wasn’t sure I’d survive until my 30th birthday. If I did, I’d likely be dependent on supplemental oxygen, unlike any other young adult I knew at the time. This week, I turned 34. Reflecting on my nearly six years with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)…

I never understood the relationship between the heart and lungs before I was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in 2016. As if learning my lungs would fail from this condition wasn’t hard enough to accept, I was also assigned a cardiologist to monitor my heart health, which is often…