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Pulmonary Fibrosis Patients/9/11 Responders Represented at State of the Union Address for Second Year in a Row ~Via; Coalition For Pulmonary Fibrosis

Deadly Lung Disease Claims as Many Lives Each Year as Breast Cancer, Yet Largely Unknown

San Jose, Calif. – January 28, 2008 – For the second year in a row, pulmonary fibrosis patients will be represented at the President’s State of the Union address.  Just a year ago, Caesar Borja, Jr. attended President Bush’s State of the Union speech, just hours after his father lost his fight to live as he awaited a lung transplant for pulmonary fibrosis.  Tonight, another pulmonary fibrosis patient’s family member will attend the State of the Union address. Joseph Zadroga will attend tonight’s address in memory of his son, James Zadroga who died in 2006 to pulmonary fibrosis.  Both Zadroga and the senior Borja were members of the New York Police Department during 9/11 and are believed to have been exposed to toxins that could have caused their pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable and deadly lung disease.  According to reports, two pathologists agreed that Zadroga’s death to pulmonary fibrosis was linked to ground zero contaminants. “It is a tragedy that every day, hundreds of people lose their lives to this horrific disease,” said Mishka Michon, Chief Executive Officer of the Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis.  “It is our hope that these brave family members can help increase awareness of this deadly disease that receives little funding and little attention from the federal government.  We are working hard to find treatments to take this disease from terminal to treatable.” Cases of pulmonary fibrosis are on the rise with more than 150 percent increase in incidence and prevalence of the disease since 2001.  There is no FDA approved treatment and no cure for the disease that claims 40,000 lives each year, the same as breast cancer.  More than 128,000 people suffer from pulmonary fibrosis and most will die within three years of diagnosis.

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis~ A beautiful video~ via; YouTube

Blue it Up or Pay it Up Blue Monday Fats Domino~ via; YouTube

September 2014 Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness

~~September is Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness month. If you enjoy 'Breathing' the page or the actual, literal term, please join me in helping to spread awareness for this deadly disease that steals the breath of people~ young, old, and in between. There is no cure for this terminal illness and very little funding to find a cure. Although each year 40,000 people die from Pulmonary Fibrosis in the U.S. alone, many people have not heard of this disease. For more information on how you can help, please visit:http://www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org/ ~or~ http://www.coalitionforpf.org/

Every Breath Counts~ Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis- Discovery Channel- June 21st- 8:00 am ET/PT

I can't tell you how excited I am to see this documentary, Every Breath Counts~ Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis on the Discovery Channel- June 21st- 8:00 am ET/PT. 

Finally, an opportunity for others to learn about this disease.  Despite the many lives it affects, it is still relatively unknown.  People who suffer from this disease, as well as their family members, desperately want to live.  Many also want awareness and general understanding of what they have to go through. In this documentary is a little piece of all of our stories. 

I lost my beautiful husband to this disease and as I watched the trailer to this film, for a brief moment, I felt as though I am watching something that is affecting someone else.  It wasn't us- this wasn't our family....  But, it was us.  This was our family's story.  My family lost a father and husband to this disease and I can never hold his hand in mine again.   

When I think about the tremendous impact of this experience being multiplied by all the others who are still being diagnosed, I know that every bit of awareness is necessary.  Even if you have never heard of IPF, do try to watch this and discuss it with a friend. You never know how that one action might help to find a cure.  

With Love,

 ~Breathing

To watch a preview, Click:  http://everybreathcountsfilm.com/