PF Warriors is releasing a new video series, My Life with Pulmonary Fibrosis, during National Family Caregivers’ Month in November 2022.
Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a rare disease that is identified by scarring in the lung tissue. Each year, about 40,000 – 50,000 new patients are diagnosed in the U.S. and another 40,000 die of the disease. The scarring, or fibrosis, of the lungs is irreversible and may cause chronic coughing, shortness of breath, and fatigue. In many cases the fibrosis is progressive, leading to eventual reliance on supplemental oxygen.
PF Warriors reaches between 12,000 – 14,000 patients, caregivers, providers and partners who have been affected by fibrotic lung diseases. The community includes members and followers across the U.S. and in 14 other countries and provides resources, educational programs and peer-to-peer support for caregivers and patients.
“PF is a difficult condition and takes a physical and emotional toll on our members,” said Shelly Mathis, a caregiver and the executive director of PF Warriors. “These videos highlight the impact of the disease on our lives, but also demonstrate what encourages us to help each other.”
My Life with Pulmonary Fibrosis was developed over a series of months. Every individual involved in the development and production of the videos was either a patient, a caregiver or a volunteer, which lends to the videos’ unique tone.
“Despite the production challenges — pandemic, the difficulty of travel and a tight budget — we were able to create stories that exemplify what inspires us to continue living our best and fullest lives,” noted Bill Vick, a PF patient and founder of PF Warriors. Vick established the organization about 10 years ago because he recognized a need for a close-knit community of patients helping patients.
The campaign is supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Boehringer Ingelheim. The series includes a video that provides information about the ongoing efforts of physician-scientists and providers to improve patient lives. This video highlights the following experts:
- Kim Gorgens, PhD, Professor, Graduate School of Professional Psychology at the University of Denver
- MeiLan Han, MD, Professor of Medicine and chief of the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care at the University of Michigan
- Naftali Kaminski, MD, Professor of Pulmonary Medicine; Section Chief, Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Yale School of Public Health
- Yolanda Mageto, MD, Medical Director of Interstitial Lung Disease, Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas
In addition to the videos, a public service announcement (PSA) has also been created and will be shared with targeted broadcast stations. The PSAs will run in space and locations donated by media.