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Photo by Beverly Denny
About 150 people met Sept. 9 at the George Mason Memorial in Washington, D.C., for the first annual D.C. walk for pulmonary fibrosis, called 'Walk for your Next Breath,' in memory of Mradula 'Molly' Kalathia, who died from the disease in 2006. Family and friends of Molly raised $15 thousand for the Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis through the two-mile walk around the Tidal Basin. More information can be found at mollyk.org. September is National Pulmonary Fibrosis Month, when the CPF and advocates visit members of Congress to enlist their support, and members host fundraising events throughout the country.
Molly's daughter Nita Zalavadia writes, "My mom never smoked a day in her life and the cause of her PF was never identified. This disease is difficult to diagnose and an estimated two-thirds of patients die within five years of diagnosis. The only initial symptom my mom had was a cough and she died within three years of diagnosis. PF claims as many lives each year as breast cancer but has no FDA approved treatments and no cure and has virtually no survivors.
Since my mom’s passing, I have been working with the CPF as an advocate to help raise awareness of this disease that can strike anyone at any given time. After watching my mom suffer for three years, I hope that no one else has to endure this cruel disease. We need your support and sponsorship to help fund research for IPF which is presently underfunded and support patients and families currently battling this disease."
_MG_2933
Photo by Beverly Denny
About 150 people met Sept. 9 at the George Mason Memorial in Washington, D.C., for the first annual D.C. walk for pulmonary fibrosis, called 'Walk for your Next Breath,' in memory of Mradula 'Molly' Kalathia, who died from the disease in 2006. Family and friends of Molly raised $15 thousand for the Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis through the two-mile walk around the Tidal Basin. More information can be found at mollyk.org. September is National Pulmonary Fibrosis Month, when the CPF and advocates visit members of Congress to enlist their support, and members host fundraising events throughout the country.
Molly's daughter Nita Zalavadia writes, "My mom never smoked a day in her life and the cause of her PF was never identified. This disease is difficult to diagnose and an estimated two-thirds of patients die within five years of diagnosis. The only initial symptom my mom had was a cough and she died within three years of diagnosis. PF claims as many lives each year as breast cancer but has no FDA approved treatments and no cure and has virtually no survivors.
Since my mom’s passing, I have been working with the CPF as an advocate to help raise awareness of this disease that can strike anyone at any given time. After watching my mom suffer for three years, I hope that no one else has to endure this cruel disease. We need your support and sponsorship to help fund research for IPF which is presently underfunded and support patients and families currently battling this disease."