“Quest for Breath” walk/run set for June

Fundraiser to support U-M in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) research

ANN ARBOR, Mich – For most people, breathing is effortless. But for thousands of others with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), breathing can cause severe pain, discomfort and even death. To help fund research for finding a cure of IPF, Quest for Breath will host its third annual 10K and 5K walk/run and family event on Sunday, June 15, at Gallup Park in Ann Arbor.

IPF is a form of pulmonary fibrosis involving the progressive scarring of lung tissue, which blocks the ability to breathe. IPF currently affects between 200,000 and 300,000 Americans and takes approximately 40,000 lives each year. According to the latest statistics available, IPF claims approximately as many lives annually as breast cancer.

There currently is not a known cause or cure for IPF, and statistics from the National Institutes of Health predict that 50 to 70 percent of IPF patients die of the disease within five years of diagnosis.

All proceeds from the Quest for Breath 5K/10K walk/run will fund the Division of Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan Health System. U-M has been awarded three consecutive five-year Specialized Center of Research (SCOR) grants in pulmonary fibrosis by the NIH.

The 5K run/walk will begin at 8:30 a.m., the 10K run will begin at 9:30 a.m., and the kids’ 1-mile will begin at 9 a.m. The event will also feature moon bounces, face painting, arts and crafts, and pizza. Participants may register for $25 before June 1 or for $35 after June 2. Registration is limited to the first 400 participants.

Since September 2005, Quest for Breath events have raised more than $210,000 to support the Martin Edward Galvin Fund for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Research at U-M.

“IPF is a devastating disease for patients and their families,” says Kevin Flaherty, M.D., an IPF researcher and assistant professor in the UMHS Department of Internal Medicine. “We at U-M are extremely grateful for the efforts of the Galvin family to raise awareness and funds to help find a cure.”

For more details about the event, visit the Web site. You can also call (866) 860-0026 or e-mail questions to questforbreath@umich.edu.

To make a contribution to IPF research at U-M (checks payable to the University of Michigan), send payments to: Quest for Breath, University of Michigan Internal Medicine Development, 301 East Liberty – Suite 400, Ann Arbor, MI 48104.

Written by: Laura Drouillard