***UPDATE DEC 5, 2022: It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of André Plouffe on March 19, 2022. André was an inspiration to us all and we offer our deepest condolences to his family for their loss. We continue to share André’s story to build awareness around this devastating condition.***
André Plouffe from Sainte-Sophie, in the Laurentians, Quebec lives with Mounier-Kuhn syndrome with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Here is his story.
When he started his journey with pulmonary fibrosis (PF) several years ago, his doctors thought he had an infection in his lungs because he had multiple pneumonia and bronchitis each year. Then, 3 years ago, he started having symptoms typical of PF, and tests revealed that he had a lot of mucus at the bottom of his lungs, which led to his diagnosis.
André was an active and entrepreneurial person. “Mentally it’s very hard,” says André. “This disease has affected all aspects of my life since anything I try to do, which normally takes a day, is going to take days to do.” However, that doesn’t stop him. “I have an oxygen tank that helps me with my toughest chores. I go anywhere and take it with me.”
His wife and children are his biggest support and his biggest worry is not being able to see his children and grandchildren live and grow. To relax, André likes to fish and go hiking.
We celebrate André for his courage and thank him for sharing his journey with pulmonary fibrosis. If you or someone you love is having difficulty breathing, talk to your doctor.