Spotlight on Interstitial Lung Disease Diagnosis and Treatment on ILD Day, Sept. 18

CHICAGO, Sept. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Nine leading patient organizations are uniting to present the fourth annual ILD Day on Wednesday, Sept. 18, to raise awareness and understanding of interstitial lung disease (ILD) and pulmonary fibrosis (PF). ILD encompasses a large group of more than 200 diseases characterized by inflammation and/or scarring in the lungs, making it difficult to breathe and get oxygen to the bloodstream.

"Interstitial lung disease is a debilitating condition that's often difficult to diagnose, making early detection crucial," said Scott Staszak, President and CEO of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation. "If you or a loved one experiences a persistent dry cough, shortness of breath and fatigue, see a pulmonologist immediately. Treatments to slow the progression, along with resources and support, are available." 

More than 250,000 Americans are living with ILD and 50,000 new cases are diagnosed annually. Pulmonary fibrosis can be seen in many types of ILD, and the damage caused by ILD can be irreversible and worsen over time.

Symptoms and Risk Factors of ILD
The most common symptoms of ILD include shortness of breath, dry cough and fatigue. Other symptoms include chest discomfort, "clubbing" of the fingertips, loss of appetite and unexplained weight loss.

Causes of ILD include the use of certain medications, radiation to the chest, and environmental and occupational exposures. In addition, patients with some diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, myositis, including dermatomyositis and polymyositis (DM and PM), sarcoidosis and Sjögren's, may develop ILD. A specific form of ILD, namely idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), primarily occurs in older individuals.

Educational Webinar
An educational webinar, "The journey to diagnosis: Process, evaluation, and your care team," will be held at 12 p.m. CDT on Wednesday, Sept. 18. The presentation will address how doctors recognize ILD and find the right diagnosis for each individual. Important information about the roles of your care team and how to advocate for yourself will be provided. The webinar will be presented by Dr. Sonye Danoff, pulmonologist with Johns Hopkins Medicine and Senior Medical Advisor, PFF Care Center Network. Registration is available here. The webinar will be recorded and published on the PFF YouTube channel.

ILD Day is a collaboration between the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, Arthritis Foundation, Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research, The Myositis Association, PF Warriors, National Scleroderma Foundation, Scleroderma Research Foundation, Sjögren's Foundation and Wescoe Foundation for Pulmonary Fibrosis.

To register for the ILD Day webinar or for more information about ILD, visit ILDDay.org.

About ILD Day
ILD Day was created to drive awareness of interstitial lung disease (ILD) and is recognized annually in September. It is presented by a collaboration of nine organizations representing patients affected by interstitial lung disease: Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, Arthritis Foundation, Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research, The Myositis Association, PF Warriors, National Scleroderma Foundation, Scleroderma Research Foundation, Sjögren's Foundation, and Wescoe Foundation for Pulmonary Fibrosis. For more information, visit ILDDay.org.

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 four-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).

Contact: Dorothy Coyle
              773-332-6201

SOURCE The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation