The American Lung Association and Three Lakes Partners will collaborate to increase awareness about idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and reward big ideas to improve patients’ quality of life.
The partnership was announced at the European Respiratory Society’s International Congress during Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month in September.
The two organizations will engage in different approaches, including increasing patient information, offering scientific and technological knowledge to help improve patients’ quality of life, and developing new resources for patients with IPF.
“There are not enough resources nor attention dedicated to IPF. We intend to create a hub of information and a supportive community to raise awareness and to advocate for and improve the quality of life for patients and caregivers affected by this destructive, incurable lung disease” Harold P. Wimmer, president of the American Lung Association, said in a press release.
The nonprofit American Lung Association is a leader in stimulating research, education, and advocacy in lung diseases.
The Lung Association will develop a new online platform for IPF patients, family members, and caregivers. The platform will provide much-needed information on IPF symptoms and diagnosis, treatment options, clinical trials, patient resources, and methods to improve day-to-day quality-of-life issues.
Three Lakes Partners is a venture philanthropy that aims to increase development in diagnosis, treatment, patients’ quality of life, research, and funding of promising technologies for IPF.
Three Lakes Partners will award a total of $1 million in the IPF Catalyst Challenge for up to the three best ideas that will improve the quality of life for IPF patients or their families. Registration closes on Oct. 25 at 5 p.m. Central Time. The challenge is intended for anyone to enter: people with big ideas, innovators, scientific researchers, and entrepreneurs across the tech, healthcare, scientific and other fields.
“Unfortunately for patients, IPF remains a disease that receives little attention, resulting in a lack of innovative solutions, research and patient resources that are desperately needed,” said Elizabeth Estes, chief marketing officer at Three Lakes Partners.
“Collaboration is at the heart of our mission, and we will be working closely with the American Lung Association and others to bring much-needed resources and increase awareness of this devastating disease,” she said.