Cope and thrive as a PF care partner
April 7 is National Caregiver Day in Canada. It’s a day to celebrate the one in four Canadians who act as family or friend caregivers; making them feel seen, valued and supported.
At CPFF, we walk the talk. Caregivers can find targeted information, compassionate support, tips on navigating the health care system and so much more on our website, our social media platforms and in our support group meetings.
Who is a pulmonary fibrosis (PF) caregiver? “If you care about someone living with PF, you are a PF caregiver,” according to a caregiver support group participant.
Find caregiver resources online
Visit the caregiver section of our website, where you’ll find a caregiver guide, links to resources, videos and caregiver stories.
Join a caregiver support group
Some CPFF community support groups hold virtual, or in-person meetings just for PF caregivers. And PF care partners are usually welcome at patient support group meetings.
CPFF also holds a virtual National PF Caregiver Support Group twice a month on Monday evenings. You need to register for each session. Check our events page for the next national caregivers meeting.
Read More to learn what happens at the National PF Caregivers Support Group and how you’ll benefit by attending. You can also connect with other caregivers on our social media platforms.
Events
Happening Soon
Apr
7
3 PM to 4 PM EDT
National Pulmonary Fibrosis Patient Support Group
Apr
7
7 PM to 8 PM EDT
National Pulmonary Fibrosis Patient Support Group
Apr
9
7 PM to 8 PM
Online Trivia Night
Apr
13
7 PM to 8 PM EDT
Groupe de soutien national virtuel en français
Apr
14
7 PM to 8 PM EDT
Newly Diagnosed Family Meetup
Apr
20
7 PM to 8 PM EDT
National Pulmonary Fibrosis Caregiver Support Group
Apr
21
3 PM to 4 PM EDT
National Pulmonary Fibrosis Patient Support Group
May
4
7 PM to 8 PM EDT
National Pulmonary Fibrosis Caregiver Support Group
May
5
3 PM to 4 PM EDT
National Pulmonary Fibrosis Patient Support Group
May
5
7 PM to 8 PM EDT
National Pulmonary Fibrosis Patient Support Group
Cancer patient loves being a volunteer
Three days after her final chemo treatment for breast cancer, Teresa volunteered at the Markham Hope Breathes Here CPFF Walk for PF on September 20, 2025.
“It was a great day,” she says. “The weather was perfect. Everyone was happy to support a great cause. And my husband and two sons joined me in volunteering for the event. It was just a very positive experience.”
A self-described optimist, Teresa doesn’t dwell on the fact that a head scarf and hat covered her bald head, and she wasn’t physically able to do the Walk.
CPFF provided the perfect volunteer opportunity
Teresa didn’t know anyone with pulmonary fibrosis, or know much about the disease or CPFF, when she became a volunteer. She was looking through a local volunteer website, seeking a limited commitment, in her neighbourhood.
“The CPFF Walk fit the bill,” she says.
Webinars
Two recent webinars now online as videos
Learn about an upcoming clinical trial that is recruiting progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF) patients and everything you wanted to know about travel insurance, especially for someone living with PF.
MIST-PPF clinical trial overview studying inhaled pirfenidone in the treatment of PPF
Dr. Deborah Assayag of McGill University and Dr. Howard Lazarus of Avalyn Pharma will walk you through the process of an upcoming Phase 2b clinical trial for inhaled pirfenidone in patients with PPF. While the drug is not new, the delivery, using an inhaler device is; and the hope is that by direct delivery to the lungs, the side effects of the oral medication will be reduced.
This is the last trial stage before a large Phase 3 clinical trial. The 52-week trial is taking place at more than 150 sites in 14 countries, including six sites in Canada. Find out more about this trail and if you may be a candidate.
Travel insurance 101: What to know when you have Pulmonary Fibrosis
Want to feel more confident planning travel? Watch this informative and reassuring video featuring Pam Langevin, Travel and Extended Health Insurance expert from Medi-Quote Insurance Brokers. Pam walks through the essentials of travel insurance with a focus on the real-life needs of people living with conditions like pulmonary fibrosis and those who care for them.
You’ll learn:
- The basics of travel insurance and what you really need to understand before you go
- Important do’s and don’ts if you have a medical emergency while traveling
- Common pitfalls to watch out for, and how to avoid them
Patient and Caregiver Stories
“Every extra day I have with both of my parents is a gift,” says Suzanne Hurding.
“Every extra day I have with both of my parents is a gift,” says Suzanne Hurding.
It’s been almost three years since Anne Hurding had her double lung transplant on April 19, 2023. She was in the hospital and it was not certain whether she would survive long enough for the right lungs to become available.
As a small woman, she was especially fortunate to receive two lungs from a compatible donor in the right size. Often women receive just one lung, because of the difficulty of finding compatible, smaller lungs.
On St. Patrick’s Day last month, Suzanne and her parents Anne and Brian went to a tavern for sticky toffee pudding and to watch some Irish dancing. Her parents wore the Aran (traditional Irish) sweater and cardigan that Suzanne had knit for each of them.
“It’s been such a blessing to have had three more St. Patrick’s days with both of them, than I thought I would,” says Suzanne.
A practical and realistic approach works best for this caregiver
Wendy Stevens of Toronto describes herself as “an optimist, organized, practical and a problem-solver.” These traits have served her well at work and at home, as mother of two sons, 28 and 33, and wife to Victor.
“There is hope. Pulmonary fibrosis is not the devastating diagnosis it was just 15 years ago. Who knows what medical advances lie ahead.”
Be alert for early signs, warns caregiver Bill
Looking back now, Bill Bradshaw recalls the early signs of his wife Jackie’s pulmonary fibrosis.
Bill urges people to get checked out if they are getting short of breath. “Don’t just assume it’s because you’re overweight, or out of shape. It only takes a moment for your doctor to listen to your lungs and get the diagnosis process started.
Your voice is the foundation for advocacy
Whenever CPFF is advocating for you with governments, we need your participation to make a credible case, whether it’s for equitable oxygen access or coverage for new medications.
Thank you to the more than 350 patients and caregivers that completed our 2026 survey. Your comments and experiences provide powerful ongoing evidence of what our community needs.
You can still sign our petition
We also want to thank the more than 470 individuals who took a few minutes to sign our petition requesting that oxygen be designated an essential medicine across Canada.
We hope to reach 1,000 signatures in the coming month, which will make a strong statement to federal decision-makers and to provincial health ministries, about the need for equitable oxygen access across the country.
If you haven’t already done so, please read and sign the petition today.
More info about the drug approval process
CPFF frequently receives questions about when new medications will be available and/or reimbursed in Canada. It is a long and complex process for the Canada Drug Agency to approve a drug for use in Canada, then other organizations to negotiate the price of the drug, and eventually possible reimbursement of the cost of the drug to the consumer by insurers and provincial and territorial governments.
The CDA has some excellent public resources on the drug approval processes.
Drug System Snapshot Infographic
Understanding Canada’s Drug Approval and Reimbursement Pathway
Ready. Set. Walk for PF!
The schedule for CPFF’s 2026 Hope Breathes Here Walks is set. All you’ve got to do now is register. There’s no time to lose, as the first Walk is set for June 27 in Edmonton.
Registering now means you’ve got plenty of time before summer vacations to gather pledges and possible team mates. The registration pages also have information on times, locations, and other details about each Walk.
The communities holding walks are listed below.
Avonmore/Ottawa, Saturday, August 15
Calgary, Saturday, September 12
Doug Lazier joins CPFF fund development team
The Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (CPFF) is pleased to welcome our newest donor coordinator Doug Lazier. An energetic fund development professional, Doug has garnered plenty of hands-on experience with a variety of charities, while working for a third-party fundraising firm. Doug is keen to lend his expertise to help you make your fundraising ideas a reality.
Working with CPFF’s other donor coordinator Bobbi-Jo White, Doug will cultivate and steward relationships with donors, manage various fundraising campaigns, and coordinate events, like our community walks, to support the mission and objectives of the CPFF.
“I am looking forward to sharing the fundraising ideas and experiences I’ve gained from the many charities I’ve represented, to focus on raising both awareness and funds for CPFF, says Doug.
Featured Videos
A voice in the wilderness
The heart of volunteering with the Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation
From invisible to unmissable