The Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis (CPF) has designated the month of September 2012 as “Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month.” In previous years, the CPF has celebrated “National Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Week” for 1 week each September, but expanding the time frame to a month is expected to raise greater national awareness and increase fundraising for treatments and a cure.
"It is our goal to expand our reach to communities and cities nationwide by having a grassroots awareness and fundraising effort that will happen the entire month of September," said Mishka Michon, CEO of CPF. "It is critical that attention is driven to this devastating disease if we are to find answers for our patients."
National PF Awareness Month will include fundraising and awareness building efforts around the country organized by patients, families, and partners, as well as a week on Capitol Hill during which advocates will meet with members of Congress and their staffs. Those meetings focus on the need for increased congressional attention to the disease via their support of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Research Enhancement Act (HR 2505, S 1350) a bill that currently has 66 co-sponsors in the US House of Representatives and 13 in the US Senate.
September 23 to 29 will be PF Week at the American Thoracic Society (ATS), a partner of the CPF. The CPF will participate with the ATS to hold a Webinar on PF for patients, families, and caregivers, as well as professionals, and will provide content for a Web page on the ATS Web site on the subject.
Source: Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis
