You did it!
We all did it. We surpassed our Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month goal of $100,000 by $500.
“Congratulations to us all,” says Sharon Lee, CPFF Executive Director. “With so many people struggling these days with rising mortgage payments, grocery prices and interest rates, this is quite an accomplishment. My thanks go out to everyone who volunteered, organized, participated, sponsored, and donated.”
Snapshot figures (as of Oct 29, 2023)
- Funds raised – $100,500
- Individual donors – 796
- Participants – 402
- Kms walked – 6,496 km.
Don’t forget to check out our photo gallery. You may see your face, or those of your friends and family if they took part in Awareness Month events.
Advocating for the best care for people with PF
Reach out in Manitoba
A provincial election was held in Manitoba on October 3, 2023, and saw the Manitoba NDP win 34 of the 57 seats in the legislature to form a majority government. Improving health care in the province was the cornerstone of the NDP election campaign.
Mr. Web Kinew is the new Premier of Manitoba, making him the first First Nations premier in Canadian history. Leading the Manitoba Ministry of Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care will be Uzoma Asagwara, who was also named Deputy Premier.
Contact information for all members of the legislative assembly is currently being updated. To view the full lists of MLAs and cabinet minsters, please bookmark this page.
With several new MLAs and cabinet ministers, now is the perfect time to reach out to your elected representative to educate them on the barriers faced by people living with pulmonary fibrosis, including access to oxygen therapy.
To arrange a meeting with a new or returning MLA, CPFF supporters can use the sample email template and the printable one-pagers in CPFF’s Manitoba Election Toolkit.
Canada’s rare disease strategy
In March 2023, the federal government announced $1.5 billion over the next three years to implement Canada’s rare disease drug strategy. Since that time, CPFF has met with Daniel MacDonald, Director General, Drugs for Rare Diseases, and responded to Health Canada’s consultations on the appropriate use of medicines as they relate to people living with pulmonary fibrosis.
CPFF will also be attending the November 2023 conference of the Canadian Organization for Rare Disorders (CORD) in Calgary, Alberta to understand next steps in the rare disease strategy and to identify and act on additional opportunities to advocate for people living with pulmonary fibrosis.
Understanding MAiD
In response to several requests for more information about medical assistance in dying (MAiD), CPFF hosted a webinar on October 24 to help increase understanding of the complex processes involved in accessing MAiD.
Kelsey Goforth, Director of Programs, Dying With Dignity Canada (DWDC), outlined the history and court cases that gave rise to the current MAiD legislation, Bill C-7, which came into effect in March 2021. She also discussed eligibility; the process to access MAiD; safeguards; resources available to patients and providers; some relevant statistics; as well as addressing questions from the audience, including considerations for people with pulmonary fibrosis (PF).
Fundraise your way during the holidays
This year, three-year-old Arjan Sekhon has chosen a unique way to celebrate his birthday on November 27. He’s encouraging donations to CPFF in memory of his grandfather (Nanaji), who passed away from pulmonary fibrosis. His family has set up a DIY fundraising page to make it easy for his friends and family to donate. Arjan has already raised $600 towards his $800 goal.
As the holiday season approaches, now is the perfect time to fundraise your way using our easy, online DIY setup. Let your friends and family know a donation to CPFF is the perfect gift for you this season.
And, when someone asks what they bring to a holiday gathering, let them know a donation would be appreciated.
Check out our DIY Do It Your Way Fundraising Guide for lots of ideas to pledge a day, host an event or pay tribute to someone.
You can easily set up your event here. Register, then click the blue “Fundraise Your Way” button. Next select “Fundraise Your Way” in the side navigation and you will be guided through the easy set up.
Shop with gift cards for PF
Introducing the new CPFF gift card program. Pay for your everyday expenses and gifts with gift cards. Each purchase automatically includes a donation to CPFF in support of people living with pulmonary fibrosis. Buy gift cards at face value and you get face value at retailers – you lose nothing. It’s a win-win!
CPFF has joined FundScrip, to offer you gift cards from more than 230 participating retailers across the country. FundScrip has helped school groups, sports teams, daycares, and any number of charitable organizations raise more than $30 million in total since 2004.
How it works?
- Buy gift cards for your favourite retailers. Choose from gift cards, e-cards or reloadable cards.
- Pay with gift cards instead of credit/debit/cash for your everyday items like gas and groceries, and gifts. Because retailers consider gift cards as cash, you’ll still benefit from discounts, coupons, and loyalty rewards.
- Raise funds for PF. Each purchase includes a donation to CPFF which can add up over time.
Order your CPFF FundScrip gift cards today. Use them to make your own everyday purchases, and send them as gifts this holiday season. Then, sit back and watch your support for CPFF accumulate, with no impact on your pocketbook!
Hope and Ollie discuss other ILDs and palliative care
The CPFF website is a reliable source for information on a variety of topics related to pulmonary fibrosis. Check out the recent expert videos on PF and connective tissue ILDs and palliative care.
Visit the Hope and Ollie webpage to see all of the comic strips published to date. Let us know what you think by sending your feedback to [email protected].