One of my favorite courses when preparing for a career in trauma, mental health, and children’s counseling was my training in narrative therapy. This type of therapy is less traditional than other well-known methods such as cognitive, behavioral, or psychodynamic therapies. Despite this, I have seen it…
Two federal grants totaling $6.1 million were awarded to Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) and the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) to investigate the molecular origin of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), as well as of other forms of pulmonary fibrosis (PF). The first is a $3.5-million five-year…
The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) has opened a new registration cycle for medical centers that wish to join the Foundation’s Care Center Network, with the mission of improving the healthcare quality for people with pulmonary fibrosis (PF). The PFF started the Care Center Network together with the PF…
Warning: Spoilers for the movie “Five Feet Apart” are contained in this story. Since my 2016 idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) diagnosis, I’ve had a love-hate relationship with movies about chronic illnesses. I love how different films highlight diseases, increasing awareness for patients living with the illness in the…
Note: This is the first article of a three-part series written in collaboration with respiratory therapist Mark W. Mangus Sr., RRT, RPFT, FAARC, and oxygen expert Ryan Diesem. One of the more hotly debated topics in the treatment of respiratory disease is supplemental oxygen use. Participants in the debate often…
In June 2016, Lifebanc held its Gift of Life Walk and Run alongside the Transplant Games of America in Cleveland, Ohio. I was a few months post-lung transplant and I felt strong enough to give back to the organ donation community. I enjoy planning events and parties, so it only…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted breakthrough therapy designation to PRM-151, a compound being investigated for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). PRM-151 is a recombinant (lab-made) version of the protein pentraxin-2. This protein acts on immune cells called macrophages; it can activate these cells to…
A post-hoc analysis of the Phase 3 RECAP trial shows that long-term treatment with Esbriet (pirfenidone) is safe and similarly effective in patients with advanced idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) as in those with less advanced disease. The study, “Effect of pirfenidone in patients with more advanced idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis,”…
High levels of PD-L1 protein were found in the most aggressive fibroblasts that drive idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) progression, making the protein — whose levels are increased in cancer cells to shield a tumor from the immune system — a potential new therapeutic target, a study suggests. The study, “…
This year’s edition of Broadway Belts For PFF! — a benefit event for the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) — raised a record $400,000 to help fund pulmonary fibrosis (PF) research and patient programs. The evening of music, comedy, and performances at New York’s Edison Ballroom was hosted by Broadway…
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