Each September, join those who have been impacted by pulmonary fibrosis worldwide to unite for Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month. This is my second year participating in PFF Walk to honor my late father, who passed from Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis in February 2023.
It's time to build a team! I will be honored to see familiar faces from last year re-register for the walk and assist with donations. Pro tip: ask your HR if they do a company match! Join the team in supporting this vital cause by donating to our fundraising efforts. Last year, we raised $2,500 in five days. Let's double this, please!
PRINTS FOR A CAUSE: Secure one of my prints and pay by directly donating to PFF on my team page. VIEW AVAILABLE PRINTS HERE.
- NYC Glizzies, $100 donation, Ultrathick Print 8x10
- Cured Wagyu, $100 donation, Ultrathick Print 8x10
- Spillage, $100 donation, Ultrathick Print 8x10
- Caviar & Toro, $100 donation, Ultrathick Print 8x10
- Spillage, $1,000 donation, 30x24, Floating Frame Glass
- Caviar & Toro, $1,000 donation, 30x24, Floating Frame Glass
The PFF Walk supports the Foundation’s efforts to accelerate research, advance improved care for those living with the disease, and provide unequaled support and education resources for patients, caregivers, family members, and healthcare providers. Of course, any amount, small or large, is appreciated.
For my father, mother, and brother. What would you do if you could add ten more years to your life expectancy?
In October 2022, my father, Tam Nguyen, was diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF), a chronic lung disease that progressively scars and stiffens the tissue around the air sacs in the lungs, making every breath a struggle. By the time of his diagnosis, his pulmonologist told us that he was already in the advanced stages of the disease, and with a heavy heart, we learned that he had perhaps only five months left. In February 2023, we laid him to rest alongside my mother and brother.
Early diagnosis is critical in managing IPF because it moves swiftly in its later stages. There is no cure, but treatments can help slow the damage, giving those affected more time—precious time. Some may live ten years or more with the right care, while others worsen quickly. We wish we had those extra years.
My father had asthma since shortly after he emigrated to America in the late 1970s. The symptoms of asthma and the early signs of pulmonary fibrosis are often similar, leaving so much room for misdiagnosis or delay in treatment. I can’t help but think about what could have been if we had caught it earlier. I think about those extra years all the time and all the moments we could’ve shared:
- Seeing him become a great-grandfather
- Our weekly Sunday visits with Bentley
- Watching his favorite granddaughter walk down the aisle
- Seeing his grandkids become young adults
- Taking him to an over-the-top, extravagant restaurant
- Traveling with him to a new place, somewhere other than Vietnam
- Stopping by his house to pick herbs and Thai chilies from the backyard garden
- Cooking him every new Vietnamese dish I taught myself—there was an epic oxtail beef stew phase
His journey with home hospice opened my eyes to the harsh realities of our healthcare system. It felt cold, like everything was just another transaction. Through it all, I’m deeply grateful for his kind nurse, patient care assistant, and partner who truly cared for him. Not everyone is so lucky. Hospice nurses, caregivers, and family members in especially underserved communities need more resources—desperately.