Editor’s note: A continuation of Charlene Marshall’s monthly “Gratitude Miniseries.” Similar to my “Gratitude Miniseries” column for April, July was not one of my favorite months this year. While some good things happened, which I will highlight below, I had to navigate many social and emotional challenges…
A Gratitude Miniseries: July 2018
The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) has completed the enrollment of PF patients in its PFF Patient Registry, with the admission of the 2,002nd patient. Launched in 2016, the PFF Patient Registry was created to compile large quantities of data collected from anonymous PF patients, and use it to help…
About three months ago, I bought a used treadmill and started exercising at home. I used to go to pulmonary rehab three times a week. As my disease has progressed, going to pulmonary rehab has become too tiring for me. Just getting there and back as well as…
A mechanism triggered by the activation of two specific proteins called JAK2 and STAT3 was found to contribute to the damaging cellular transformations that occur in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a study reports. Blocking this signaling pathway reduced the levels of lung damage in a rat model of IPF,…
Following a diagnosis of a life-threatening illness like idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), days filled with happiness and gratitude can rare. After my own IPF diagnosis in early 2016, I had many days of confusion, anger, and fear of what my life as a young adult would look…
A new nanocarrier has been developed that is able to selectively deliver medicines to damaged cells in the lungs, alleviating fibrosis in mice, a study reports. Based on a naturally occurring process called cell senescence, the system also helps reduce the therapies’ toxic effects on healthy…
A team of researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine was recently granted $865,282 from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) to investigate a stem cell therapy for pulmonary fibrosis. CIRM awarded two grants worth a total of…
Following my idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) diagnosis in early 2016, I was told that the doctors couldn’t predict how fast or slow my disease would progress. Since it was so “rare” that I had IPF before my 30th birthday, my medical teams were pretty transparent about not…
An immune pathway that includes a molecule known as IL-33 and its receptor, ST2, may be key in the development and progression of pulmonary fibrosis (PF), according to new research in mice. The study, “The IL-33 Receptor ST2 Regulates Pulmonary Inflammation and Fibrosis to Bleomycin,” was published…
Just like you, I’ve had my share of good experiences with doctors, and frustrating ones, too. I wish I could share some tips with doctors to help me cope with this awful disease. I’ve asked fellow patients I know online for their input, and they had a lot…
