Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation Announces ATS Endorsement and Co-Chairs for Anniversary Dinner

The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) today announced that it has received an official endorsement from the American Thoracic Society (ATS) for its upcoming scientific conference, IPF Summit 2011: From Bench to Bedside, taking place on December 1-3, 2011, in Chicago, Illinois.

"We are proud to have an ATS endorsement for the Summit," says Daniel M. Rose, President and Chief Executive Officer of the PFF. "The agenda has been thoughtfully designed to cover both clinical and basic scientific approaches by a faculty that features some of the top physicians and researchers in the pulmonary fibrosis [PF] community."

The Summit will feature an innovative two-day continuing medical education (CME) program for physicians, researchers, registered nurses, respiratory therapists, and other allied health professionals. Additionally there will be a separate one-day patient, family member, and caregiver program to address the growing educational needs of the idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) community.

The PFF's IPF Summit 2011 has met with excellent initial success. The patient/caregivers sessions are at capacity with a wait list available. In an effort to reach as many patients/caregivers as possible, a live webcast of the patient/caregiver session will be offered for viewing at home or at one of several satellite viewing locations. Additionally, the entire conference will be available via webinar in early 2012. Registrations for the professional sessions are still available, but seating is limited. Registrants for both segments of the Summit currently represent 38 states and 9 countries.

As an adjunct to the Summit and to celebrate the foundation's tenth anniversary, the PFF will host its New Decade, New Reach tenth anniversary dinner on Friday, December 2, at Chicago's landmark Field Museum. Co-chairs for the dinner will be Broadway star Julie Halston and her husband Ralph Howard, a Howard 100 News reporter, Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL), and Former United States Representative Brian Baird (D-WA 3rd). "We are thrilled to have such a remarkable group of people co-chair our New Decade, New Reach dinner," says Dolly Kervitsky. "Julie Halston hosted a blockbuster, Broadway fundraiser for the foundation last February and her husband Ralph Howard was the recipient of a lung transplant due to pulmonary fibrosis. We also have the honor of Senator Kirk and Dr. Baird serving as co-chairs and thank them for their continued commitment to the pulmonary fibrosis community and for their roles in the prior and current introduction of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Research Enhancement Act to Congress."

Passage of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Research Enhancement Act (PFREA) would facilitate the establishment of a national PF advisory board, a national PF registry, funding for national PF education and awareness, and encourage support from the National Institutes of Health. This week, September 19-23, is Pulmonary Fibrosis Week, and Ms. Kervitsky will be joining other members of the PF community on Capitol Hill in an effort to gain congressional sponsors for the bill and raise awareness for the disease.

"This year has been a year of tremendous growth for the PFF," states Patti Tuomey, Chief Operating Officer. "The IPF Summit 2011, the re-introduction of the PFREA, the establishment of our national affiliate program, and our commitment to funding research are all major initiatives in support of our mission. We would like to thank all of the people who have helped to make this happen including individual and corporate donors, volunteer fundraisers, and foundation sponsors: Amira Pharmaceuticals; Booz, Allen, Hamilton; Hogan Lovells; ImmuneWorks; Lincare; Mr. and Mrs. Charles P. McQuaid; ProVideo; REI; Stromedix; and Tighe Logistics Group."

 

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