Friendships can change when chronic illnesses like idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) enter the picture. Some might struggle to understand a friend’s illness, needs, and limitations. And the friend with the illness might change too, depending on how they cope. However, I believe true friendships can withstand these challenges, and even…
Close Friends Can Provide Valuable Insight When We’re Anxious
Photo courtesy of Emma Schmitz Day 29 of 30 This is Emma Schmitz’s story: I hadn’t planned on being a caregiver for my mom in my 20s, but it felt like the least I could do after the support she and my dad have given me throughout my life.
You may have noticed that September is Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month. Here at Pulmonary Fibrosis News, we’ve been running a social media campaign that showcases patients and their loved ones in our community. Additionally, the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation runs a yearly campaign encouraging advocates to “let the world know”…
Julie Halston, a Broadway theater veteran and comedian, has received the 2020 Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award for her longtime volunteer efforts for the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF). Halston, who is part of the PFF board, has raised more than $2 million for the organization. She also helped to bring…
Photo courtesy of Kevin Schaefer Day 28 of 30 This is Kevin Schaefer’s story: Four years ago, I accepted a position at Bionews Services, the parent company of Pulmonary Fibrosis News. Having lived with a neuromuscular condition called spinal muscular atrophy my entire life, I already had a…
The dynamic between an ill person and the loved ones who care for them should extend beyond the caregiver providing and the sick person receiving. The relationship should go two ways — thus, a care partnership. I define a care partner based on a presentation given at the Pulmonary…
Syndax Pharmaceuticals and Incyte are forming a global partnership to develop and commercialize axatilimab, an investigational therapy for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and other diseases characterized by excessive scarring. The companies are planning to launch a proof-of-concept Phase 2 clinical trial to test axatilimab in IPF patients…
Photo courtesy of Andrew Mooney Day 27 of 30 This is Andrew Mooney’s story: I was diagnosed with IPF nine years ago and am living with my condition as best I can. My wife, Lyn, has been at my side from the start and has been a constant…
The levels of Sox9 — a molecule that promotes lung scarring, or fibrosis — are significantly higher in the lungs of both patients and mouse models of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) than in those of their healthy counterparts, a study shows. Excessive Sox9 levels were found to promote fibroblasts’ maturation…
Photo courtesy of Shari George Day 26 of 30 This Shari George’s story: “Ma soeur.” Strange how a pet name can become so important, like a code that transmits more than the actual words. French for “my sister,” these words evoke so many memories — and the memories are…
