Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis World Week

This year’s Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) World Week was marked in Ireland by the Irish Lung Fibrosis Association. Taking place from Saturday, 17th September until Sunday, 25th September, 2016, IPF Week aimed to create an international network to support patients living with IPF.

With over 1,000 people living with IPF and approximately 360 new cases diagnosed each year, this year’s IPF World Week theme, Breath of Hope, highlights how important social awareness and access to information and care is. IPF is a rare, chronic, progressive and terminal disease, which involves the development of scar tissue (fibrosis) in the lungs. Patients with IPF develop extreme breathlessness, fatigue, cough and ultimately respiratory failure, often requiring them to depend on oxygen therapy 24 hours a day.

There is no known cause for IPF and the life expectancy from time of diagnosis can be from two to five years. To help patients with IPF, ILFA has a number of projects in place including the 2,000 Steps a Day Challenge programme; a daily exercise plan developed to keep patients fit and in the best possible health, and IPF support and patient groups.

To highlight the daily struggles faced by patients suffering with IPF, ILFA facilitated a Day in the Life experience with Minister Finnian McGrath, who shadowed IPF patient and Portmarnock man Dermot King for a day. Minister Finian McGrath gained a valuable insight into the ins and outs of life’s daily struggles with this debilitating disease.

Footage from the day can be viewed below
• Raising awareness
• Living with IPF (subtitles)
• Living with IPF (no subtitles)

For more information, visit ilfa.ie, find ILFA on Facebook and Twitter.