Guest blog: Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation launches Hope Breathes Here

This guest blog from the Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation marks Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month and explains the events and activities they have coordinated for September.

Register now for fun and informative activities during Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month

Despite the pandemic, Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month this September may be the best ever from the Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (CPFF). With most events and activities safely online, what’s on offer will help you and your family, friends and colleagues connect and spread the word about PF to the rest of the country in fun and engaging ways. There are also educational sessions online to help you live your best life with PF. And there are ample opportunities to share your stories, photos and videos. The CPFF receives no government funding and relies solely on individual donors and corporate support, you can find out how to donate here.

Visit hopebreatheshere.com, CPFF’s website for Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month to register for anything or everything (you choose) that’s on offer and more details about each event and activity. Here’s a quick rundown of what’s happening:

Clarke Walk for Pulmonary Fibrosis

Join the Clarke family as we walk to help CPFF raise awareness and funds for a pulmonary fibrosis cure. Walk on your own or with a team throughout September, and let’s see how many kilometers we can collectively walk from coast-to-coast. Find out more about the how the Clark walk started, and how you and your family, friends and neighbours can register, at hopebreatheshere.com.

Virtual Bubbles Event

Join neighbours on Labour Day Monday for an exciting virtual bubbles experience in augmented reality, from your home, yard, balcony or anywhere else. Visit hopebreatheshere.com to download the app you need onto your mobile phone or tablet and join the September 7 Labour Day virtual event to experience virtual bubbles. Presented at 7 p.m., it’s a magical event scheduled so that the whole family can enjoy it.

Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation Educational Forums

Participate in informative CPFF educational sessions about pulmonary fibrosis, through virtual video sessions during the month of September. Get expert insights and support from medical and healthcare professionals, and connect with other PF patients and caregivers. A diverse line up of healthcare experts will share the latest pulmonary fibrosis research, insights on disease management, the impact of COVID-19 on PF, advance care planning, palliative care, and more.  Video sessions will take place through the CPFF Event Portal and are easy to access from anywhere with an internet connection. Access sessions as they happen, from the comfort of your home. Visit hopebreatheshere.com to learn more, access the CPFF Event Portal and register.

Hope Breathes Here Wrap-up & Applause

Join your neighbours as we come together on October 3 at 1 p.m. (EDT) to watch a slide show of memorable Hope Breathes Here event moments and celebrate a month of learning, friendship, and fundraising. Use the hashtag #hopebreatheshere in your Facebook or Twitter posts to be featured on our home page and in our closing slideshow.

In addition to the events listed above, www.hopebreatheshere.com offers speaker bios, researcher videos, back stories, and opportunities to share your personal story, photos and videos, and so much more.

As in years past, we are asking elected officials to proclaim September as Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month. New this year, we’ll be asking them to videotape the proclamation, so we can post it on hopebreatheshere.com and on our social media channels.

And, CPFF is once again asking its supporters to request the lighting of community landmarks in red and blue in September to promote Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month. Sports facilities, clock towers and town halls are often able to be lit up for charitable purposes. We’ll post photos on our social media channels and on hopebreatheshere.com. If you take photos for Facebook, use the hashtag #hopebreatheshere and they’ll also appear on hopebreatheshere.com.

As in past years, we encourage you to take photos and videos of your own bubble blowing gatherings with family and friends (in accordance with physical distancing rules), and post them to Facebook using the hashtag #hopebreatheshere. It will then be shared on www.hopebreatheshere.com.

Everyone at the Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation is very excited about the opportunities we all have to connect, learn and have fun during Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month this September. Please register now and get involved.

Follow RepeatDx on our social media channels, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, to keep track of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month information and facts that we will be sharing throughout September.