On April 22, 2021, at the age of 62, my father, Ralph A. Garofalo, lost his battle with Pulmonary Fibrosis. My life, my mom's, and my siblings' lives were forever changed, creating a hole in our hearts that will forever be with us.
My family and I first learned what PF was in 2012 when my dad was first diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, which led to him developing Pulmonary Fibrosis. Unfortunately, with no known cure for PF, our family fought alongside my dad as he endured years of medications, rehabilitation, doctor visits & consultations.
Finally, we were able to work with Penn Medical and Columbia Medical Center to begin the listing process for his double lung transplant. Unfortunately, a day before being listed, my dad's heart failed due to the extreme pressure it was under to help compensate for the loss of his lung function.
On April 13, I'll be running the Jersey City Marathon in honor of my father & the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation. Not only am I running this race to draw awareness to the Pulmonary Fibrosis disease itself, but also to draw awareness to anyone feeling alone, especially with a disease as severe as PF. "It is okay to not be okay. That does not mean you are broken." I encourage all of you reading this and listening to my story to find the STRENGTH you need in your life to battle through any obstacle you may ever face. Living with PF, when you feel like you don't have a breath left, is STRENGTH...My father was that STRENGTH and fought that battle.
For more information on how your gift will make a difference in the lives of PF patients and their families, please visit www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org, and for more information on the Jersey City Marathon, please visit https://jerseycitymarathon.com/.