We did it – and then some!
Thank you to everyone who participated, sponsored, volunteered and donated to our Walks for PF during our 2025 Hope Breathes Here Awareness Campaign. You’ve each made a huge difference in the lives of people affected by pulmonary fibrosis.
By every measure, the campaign through the summer and fall was a tremendous success. The 12 Walks, including the Virtual Walk and three Do-it-Yourself (DIY) Walks raised close to $210,000. That’s almost a $50,000 increase from last year’s events! And with three new Walks, participation increased by about 20 per cent, from 986 last year to 1,195 in 2025.
“In these uncertain economic times, it is truly an accomplishment to raise more funds,” says Sharon Lee, CEO, Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (CPFF). “Very few other charities are seeing a funding increase this year. It is a testament to the hard work of our volunteers and staff and the continued generosity of our donors and sponsors. I cannot thank you all enough.”
Getting the word out about PF
From TV and radio interviews, to articles in local community papers, pulmonary fibrosis and CPFF community walks were talked about across our country from July into early October. Thank you to Sharon Lee in Toronto and Dr. Giovanni Ferrera in Alberta, who did 37 radio interviews in total. For Dr. Ferrera that sometimes meant a very early call with morning shows at radio stations in eastern Canada.
You can check out a few TV clips of PF coverage here.
Thank you to our sponsors
Corporate sponsors are a vital source of funding to offset some of the expenses of the campaign events. In return, we are happy to acknowledge their contributions.
Calgary: Telford Land and Valuation Inc., Cariboo Clean Fuels, Respiratory Homecare Solutions, and Avalyn Pharma Inc.
Charlottetown: Eric C. Robinson Inc., and Island Respiratory Specialists.
Edmonton: Federated Co-Operatives Ltd., and Respiratory Dynamics Group.
Markham: Meridian Credit Union Markham, Castlemore Branch and Steeles Branch.
Montreal: JAMP Pharma.
Ottawa: Spring Living Retirement Communities.
Saskatoon: SIGA – Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority, and Careica Health
Winnipeg: Careica Health, Medigas, and SIGA.
You can also check out individual Walk webpages and see other in-kind sponsors and supporters.
Outreach to government representatives CPFF supporters continue to engage local elected officials, with cities and provinces from coast to coast proclaiming September as Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month. Government representatives also attended several Walk events, further building supportive relationships with Canada’s PF community.
Province of Alberta
Province of Prince Edward Island
City of Calgary
City of Edmonton
City of Markham
City of Ottawa
City of Saskatoon
Dignitaries attending the Walks
Avonmore: Eric Duncan, MP for Stormont -Dundas-Glengarry; Nolan Quinn, MPP for Stormont-Dundas-Glengarry.
Calgary: Mayor Jyoti Gondek
Charlottetown: His Honour the Honourable Dr. Wassim Salamoun, Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island and Her Honour Marie Salamoun-Dunne; Senator Mary Robinson; Heath MacDonald, Federal Minister of Agriculture; Hon. Mark McLane, PEI Minister of Health and Wellness; Mayor Philip Brown.
Edmonton: MLA Lori Sigurdson
Markham: Councillor Andrew Keyes, MPP Billy Pang
Ottawa: Councillor Rawlson King
Saskatoon: Mayor Cynthia Block
Family celebrated Diwali with DIY fundraiser
This fall, the Maloni family encouraged others to join them and Be a Light of Hope this Diwali (October 20, 2025), by supporting the Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation.
Diwali is a celebration of light – a time when families and communities come together to honour life, love, and new beginnings. Lights, candles, worship, feasting, sweets and fireworks are all part of the festival.
Parvinder Singh Maloni believes it was his late mother’s intervention that sent him the life-saving gift of a double lung transplant on Mother’s Day, 2018, five years after his diagnosis with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). His beloved mother Parkash Kaur Ahluwalia Maloni, succumbed to the same disease in 1997 at the age of 73.
The Maloni family Diwali event raised more than $23,800! This includes substantial contributions from:
Mohammed Kanwal Family Foundation ($5,000)
Robin and Narinder Maloni ($5,000)
De Neuville Coiffure Spa, PhysioDNA ($1,000)
As the peak season of giving gets underway, think about making your holiday celebration a DIY event. Find out how.
“For me, the gift of breath is the greatest blessing. Every breath I take today is a reminder of life’s fragility and the strength we find in hope,” says Parvinder
Events
Happening Soon
Nov
10
Nov
10
7 PM to 8 PM EST
Caregivers Support Group
Nov
18
Nov
18
3 PM to 4 PM EST
National Patient Support Group
Nov
24
7 PM to 8 PM EST
Caregiver Support Group
Dec
1
7 PM to 8 PM EST
Groupe de soutien en français
Dec
2
3 PM to 4 PM EST
National Patient Support Group
Dec
2
7 PM to 8 PM EST
National Patient Support Group
Webinar
New webinars coming this month
Monday, November 10, 2025 at 3 p.m. EST
Lung Transplant in 2025: A Review for Patients with Pulmonary Fibrosis.
Presented by Dr. Ciaron Scallan.
Dr. Scallan is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto and a Staff Respirologist with the Toronto Lung Transplant Program and University Health Network. He runs a sub-specialty ILD clinic at Toronto General Hospital and is a Clinician Investigator with TGHRI.
Tuesday, November 18, 2025 at 2 p.m. EST
Understanding Generic Drugs: Safe, Effective, and Affordable.
Presented by Pharmacist Mayno Huynh.
Mayno Huynh graduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy at the Université de Montréal in 2006. Since 2015, he has been working in the field of specialty drug pharmacy. He became a partner at the Laval pharmacy (Pharmacie Chabot & Vermette) in 2023, followed by the Québec City pharmacy (Pharmacie Vermette & Huynh) in 2024.
Paying tribute during the holidays
Thank you to everyone who sent submissions to include in our upcoming Tribute video. A full version will launch on November 23rd. Watch for it!
From November 24 until December 24, each day for 30 days we will post a short video clip featuring one person from our community that is in the full video. Each video pays tribute to someone living with PF, those who support them, and the cherished lives we hold in memory. It will be a month of gratitude and remembering.
Patient and Caregiver Stories
Family honours last wishes of father and grandfather
One of the last things Jim Woodcock talked about with his daughter Pam Duguay, was his wish for the family to raise money for the Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (CPFF), to help fund research into this terrible disease.
“I’m glad to say our family was able to gather together this September to take part in the Walk for PF in Ottawa. Our family and friends raised $1,400. I think Dad would be proud of us.”
Jim died in January 2025 from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. He was 73 years old.
Jim’s PF journey
Jim Woodcock had a terrible cough for years, but it was only during a trip to the ER, in 2019 for a cold that just got worse, that he was tested for pneumonia and lung scarring showed up on the CT scan. That’s when Jim first learned of pulmonary fibrosis (PF).
Like most people receiving this news, he and his family had never heard of the disease. Again, like so many others, Jim went online and was quite devastated by what he read.
The Schuler family’s journey with pulmonary fibrosis
Hans Schuler’s journey with pulmonary fibrosis (PF) began when a bout of winter pneumonia resulted in a 40-day hospitalization. He was placed on oxygen and was later diagnosed with PF. He found peace of mind by developing a deeper understanding of the disease and its progression.
In order to support Hans’ wishes and quality of life, Erin and Dan found in-home care, which allowed their dad to stay on the farm, and gave him quality time with his grandchildren.
Patricia Meadows’ journey with pulmonary fibrosis
Patricia Meadows from Calgary, Alberta, lives with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (PF) with an underlying undetermined auto-immune disease.
Patricia shares her experience with diagnosis and the joy, support, and friendship she has found with the CPFF Calgary support group.
November is Make a Will Month
No matter what your current health status, having a Will in place is a gift you give to your loved ones left behind in the event of your death. It also ensures your wishes will be carried out.
If you don’t have a Will, now is the time to consider making one. If you do have a Will, take some time this month to review it and make any necessary updates.
CPFF has some informative resources to help you get started.
- A Guide to Preparing Your Will will help you think about what you want your legacy to be in advance of drafting your Will with the help of legal and financial professionals.
- A two-page document details available Bequest Options, if you are considering leaving a bequest in your Will to CPFF.
Creating an Advance Care Plan (ACP)
Another important gift you can give your loved ones is an ACP. Clarifying your health care wishes in advance, designating an alternate decision-maker, communicating your wishes to your loved ones, and writing them down, will relieve them of having to make decisions about your care during an emotional time.
“I’m so glad our family had those conversations with my father, well in advance of the end of his life,” says Sharon Lee, CEO, CPFF. “We felt confident that we were doing what my father wanted and that was comforting to us.”
CPFF also has some excellent videos on the process of advance care planning. You can find links to them at the end of this issue.
Featured Videos
Palliative care and advance care planning
Talking about pulmonary fibrosis and oxygen
Advance care planning