Because I was diagnosed with a chronic illness at 28 years old, I have received many different reactions to the news. Most people are well-intentioned, some don’t know what to say, and others share common reactions that one might expect when something unfortunate happens. I experienced a lot…
How I Respond to Common Reactions About My Disease
Cells’ attempts to limit fibroblast proliferation by lowering the levels of a protein called clusterin in lung fibroblasts of pulmonary fibrosis patients were found to be an insufficient strategy against fibrosis development in a recent study. Researchers, in fact, observed that decreasing clusterin leads to a deposition of extracellular…
After I was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, I began evaluating the best way to spend the precious time and energy I have left. Against a backdrop of grief, I made a list of the things I wanted to complete before I passed. Some goals involved increasing…
A vast majority of pulmonary fibrosis (PF) and cystic fibrosis (CF) patients would like to have the ability to monitor their lung function at home, top-line results from PMD Healthcare’s two 2018 online patient surveys show. PMD reported that most of the PF (96 percent) and CF (93…
Editor’s note: A continuation of Charlene Marshall’s monthly “Gratitude Miniseries.” The goal of my “Gratitude Miniseries” is to write about the things I am grateful for that took place in the past month. I believe this will be an excellent narrative to look back on at the…
Boehringer Ingelheim‘s Ofev (nintedanib) preserved the lung function of nine idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients waiting for a lung transplant, a study reported. The research, “Safety of nintedanib before lung transplant: an Italian case series,” appeared in the journal Respirology Case Reports. A lung transplant is…
If you have read my previous columns, you may be aware of how much things have changed for me since my idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) diagnosis. My current life is nothing like the one I had before, and that took me some time to accept. But I am…
An Australian study showed that AD-114, an investigative therapy for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) developed by AdAlta, prevented the infiltration of immune cells and collagen build-up in lung cells from IPF patients. AD-114 also reduced fibrotic injury in a mouse model. The study, “Anti-fibrotic Effects of…
Trying to stay fit is extremely important for a PF patient. This is easier said than done. It is difficult to lose weight when you don’t move a lot, and it is hard to exercise when you feel tired and worn out all the time. I’ll bet you…
The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation’s annual Broadway Belts for PFF! fund-raiser generated a record $350,000 this year. This brought the amount raised in the event’s eight years to nearly $1.2 million. The proceeds support the foundation’s work and research seeking a cure for pulmonary fibrosis. Julie Halston, a Broadway star and comedienne,…
