[Christine Tenuta]

I have pondered this question for years. My mother died from IPF in 2004. She was only 60 years old. My siblings and I have discussed this and are all “on the fence”. It’s been a while since I was in “research mode” so I’m unsure what type of genetic testing is available (cost, invasiveness etc). Her father died in 1973 from a stroke and the family has always said he had emphysema (which we often wonder if that could have been IPF). I also found out as my mother was dying from her brother that their grandmother (father’s mother) died in an “oxygen tent” and that they were told as children that the whole family on that side had “bad lungs” soooo, my siblings and I suspect it could likely be genetic…at least in our family. That being said and since there isn’t currently a cure, we have always said we would probably not get tested. If there is not much that can be done, we have always felt we wanted to live our lives to the fullest without that constantly at the back of our minds.