Seacoast Encouraged to Walk Together Toward a Cure

Two Seacoast residents, Laurie Chandler of New Castle, and John Massaua of Stratham, are leading an effort to raise awareness and funds to support people living with pulmonary fibrosis (PF). The two are piloting a Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) National Walk Day’ seafront stroll on New Castle’s Great Island Common on Saturday, September 24th.

Pulmonary fibrosis is a deadly and complex disease that causes progressive scarring in the lungs. PF affects over 250,000 Americans annually, giving cause to the mission of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation that is to accelerate the development of new treatments and ultimately a cure for pulmonary fibrosis.

Both Chandler, Vice-chair of PFF, and Massaua, Team Captain for the event, have been stricken with PF. They are inviting seacoast PF’ patients, family and friends, caregivers, medical providers and interested individuals to join their team of walker fundraisers, the New England Gills for PFF. The Gills’ team will be walking rain or shine along the seaside green space and beach of New Castle’s Great Island Common. The event will be starting at 10am September 24th, with team members walking or rolling 25’, 1000’ or perhaps a couple of miles, whatever might be one’s capability. According to both Chandler and Massaua, “This is to be a no pressure, fun event where comradery is the tenet for the day.”

Instructions on how to join the New England Gills’ Team for PFF in walking together toward a cure, can be found at bit.ly/JoinGills. Folks who simply want to make a donation or be a sponsor can do so at bit.ly/NEGills4PFF.

September is Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month; so, in addition to the Gills’ seacoast walk, the City of Portsmouth on September 9th, will be lighting up its Memorial Bridge in BLUE, the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation’s signature color, as part of the Foundation’s #BlueUp4PF awareness campaign. Similarly, the City of Boston will be lighting its Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge and its Longfellow Bridge in BLUE on September 24th, the day of the New England Gills for PFF’ walk/PFF’s National Walk Day.

Joyce S. Lee, M.D., M.S., a PFF senior medical advisor for research and health care quality, and an associate professor of medicine in the Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care/director of the Interstitial Lung Disease program at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, reports that “40,000 with the PF disease residing in the United States, die each year;” and that “The prevalence of PF is on the rise with more than 50,000 new US cases being diagnosed annually.” Adding, “There is no known cure.”

About the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation

The mission of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation is to accelerate the development of new treatments and ultimately a cure for pulmonary fibrosis. Until this goal is achieved, the PFF is committed to advancing improved care of patients with PF and providing unequaled support and education resources for patients, caregivers, family members, and health care providers. The PFF has a three-star rating from Charity Navigator and is an accredited charity by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) Wise Giving Alliance. The Foundation has met all of the requirements of the National Health Council Standards of Excellence Certification Program® and has earned the Guidestar Platinum Seal of Transparency. For more information, visit pulmonaryfibrosis.org or call 844.TalkPFF (844.825.5733).