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 2024

PF Awareness Month returns for the fourth year in 2024 under the slogan “Breathing Life,” with a special focus on equitable access to oxygen, including supplementary oxygen. Beyond raising awareness of PF and its profound impact on the daily lives of patients and their loved ones, we aim to spark crucial discussions to ensure that all individuals with pulmonary fibrosis who need oxygen receive it.

Past campaigns

The Breathing Life Awareness Campaign, established in 2021 and subsequently seeing further successes in 2022 and 2023, is run with its core principles and topics: using facts, figures and stories of patients suffering from PF. 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.

Building on the strategies from previous editions, the 2024 campaign adopts a rounded approach to addressing the various aspects of pulmonary fibrosis. By incorporating the perspectives of key stakeholders – including patients, patient advocates, patient organisations, researchers, and others – it aims to advocate for the primary concerns of the PF patient community through key messaging. With a focus on equitable access to oxygen, the campaign seeks to generate meaningful conversations around this complex issue, which requires the collaboration of multiple parties to effectively address.

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 previous 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.