PF Awareness Month

In research towards a cure for Pulmonary Fibrosis, improving early diagnosis and patients’ quality of life, timely referral to a specialist as well as access to clinical trials and treatment pathways in general – to this day there are many hurdles and challenges in PF that need to be addressed and resolved.

To create awareness of this disease among the public and to encourage those who are unsure whether they might be affected to see a doctor promptly, as well as to drive research and industry to find a cure and, not least, to improve the quality of life not only of patients but also of their carers, EU-PFF runs an annual awareness campaign. With changing themes and focus, the campaign seeks to improve the lives of all PF patients around the world.

EU-PFF’s PF Awareness Month takes place each September and coincides with the globally recognised Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month established to raise awareness of PF and help patients, carers and families who have been affected by this terminal condition. Let’s drive change together – with the patient at the centre.

The “Breathing Life” campaign

Despite PF being such a serious disease, there is still a lack of awareness, which can result in late diagnosis, losing valuable treatment time and, above all, time to enjoy life.

PF Awareness Month 2023

PF Awareness Month – which in 2023 for the third time in a row used the slogan “Breathing Life” – wanted to draw attention to PF, its implications and the changes it brings about in daily life as well as the physical and psychological strain that the disease places on patients and their loved ones – but also to the essential moments of light-heartedness, normalcy and happiness that patients with PF still experience despite this burden.

Past campaigns

Building on the concept of the Breathing Life Awareness Campaign established in 2021 and following its success, the second iteration in 2022 saw a continuation of its core principles and topics: using facts, figures and stories of patients suffering from PF, and with an additional focus on education and on the recently published consultation guides for both healthcare practitioners and patients, this one-month-campaign run throughout the month of September was aimed at raising awareness of Pulmonary Fibrosis (PF) and specifically of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) during IPF Awareness Week, and creating a broader public impact.

And the 2023 campaign also followed this path. Drawing on the input, advice and suggestions of its members, ands, the Federation decided to address 7 specific areas with tailored content this year, maximising the impact of its campaign and acting as an even stronger voice for this particular patient community. To get its key messages across to the key target groups, the campaign used facts and figures – and, for the first time, interviews from a range of stakeholders in the field of pulmonary fibrosis, including patients and patient advocates, researchers, as well as clinicians, advocating for key concerns of this patient community, represented by EU-PFF and its members. In addition, an important innovation was introduced with a grassroots approach to support member organisations in their work to raise awareness for PF 2023: EU-PFF invited its member organisations to apply for a grant of EUR 2,000 to run local awareness events.

The PF Awareness Month Campaign Reports summarise the activities carried out by Patvocates on behalf of the European Pulmonary Fibrosis Federation (EU-PFF) for the 2021, 2022 and 2023 #BreathingLife Awareness Campaigns.

Breathing Life Video Library

Below you can find the video material of the thre Breathing Life Awareness Campaigns 2021, 2022 and 2023 at a glance. To view all videos, click on the downward-pointing arrow in the bottom left corner of the black box and select a clip.