PF Warriors Reports Efforts at International Respiratory Conference

Leadership, volunteers, patients engages with global experts at American Thoracic Society 2

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, UNITED STATES, May 22, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- PF Warriors, a global non-profit support network for patients and caregivers affected by pulmonary fibrosis (PF), reports key activities regarding its participation in the American Thoracic Society (ATS) 2025 International Conference held in San Francisco, Calif. May 18-21.

The annual respiratory conference brought together more than 15,000 lung researchers, clinicians, and industry professionals from around the world. PF Warriors used the platform to amplify patient and caregiver voices in clinical care and research while emphasizing the importance of including patients’ lived experiences and perspectives in drug and device development.

Throughout the week, PF Warriors leaders, volunteer staff, and patient members took part as speakers and panelists in a number of key sessions. Volunteer team members and patients, themselves, Theresa Genovese and Maryluz Fuentes, MD, along with patient Yvonne Chamberlain, shared their perspectives in ATS scientific sessions. Genovese spoke on the panel “Biomarkers in PF: Gleaning through the Omics Lens,” while Fuentes contributed to multiple discussions, including “Enhancing Recruitment and Retention of Minority and Underrepresented Populations” and “Predicting Structure–Function Relationships in IPF.” Chamberlain shared her personal story during the session “Next Steps: Enhancing Research Trials in Pulmonary Rehabilitation to Improve Real-World Implementation.”

In addition, PF Warriors Chief Executive Warrior, Teresa Barnes, participated in a panel discussion, hosted in collaboration with the ATS Public Advisory Roundtable (PAR), during the ATS Respiratory Innovation Summit (RIS), where she addressed the evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI) in patient care, research, and clinical trials.

As part of its ongoing commitment to fostering future leaders in PF research, PF Warriors awarded scholarships to two early-career investigators working in rare fibrotic diseases: Jannik Ruwisch, MD of Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (Germany) and Qianjiang Hu, Ph.D. of the University of Pittsburgh.
At the PF Warriors booth in the ATS Exhibit Hall, executive leadership and a dedicated team of volunteers welcomed thousands of attendees, including more than 90 student scholars participating in the “ATS PAR Path.”

This initiative, hosted by the ATS PAR, highlighted non-profit organizations and helped educate medical professionals and trainees about the value of nonprofit advocacy and the lived experiences of individuals with respiratory diseases. Visitors to the booth were introduced to PF Warriors’ educational resources and about the daily challenges and impact PF can have on patients and families living with a life-threatening fibrotic lung disease.

“PF Warriors was proud to represent our patient and caregiver members at ATS 2025,” said Dolly Kervitsky, President of PF Warriors. “This conference is a vital platform for advancing collaboration across the PF community. We deeply value our partnership with ATS and its Public Advisory Roundtable, and we are especially proud to support the next generation of researchers. By supporting early-career investigators, we help ensure that patient voices remain central to the discovery of new treatments and, ultimately, a cure.”
 
Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a serious lung disease marked by irreversible scarring that impairs oxygen exchange and normal breathing. Life expectancy for patients with the disease is 3-5 years and there is currently no therapeutic intervention to save lives with the exception of lung transplantation that is available to less than one percent of PF patients.

About PF Warriors
PF Warriors is the largest non-profit patient support network dedicated to individuals and families affected by fibrotic lung diseases, with more than 23,000 members, caregivers, healthcare providers, and partners across the U.S. and 14 other countries. The organization offers multilingual, patient-centered education and support through expert-led monthly webinars, online support group meetings, social media communities, and special advocacy programs. PF Warriors is committed to providing hope, information, and community to all those affected by pulmonary fibrosis. Learn more and join for free at www.pfwarriors.com.

Teresa Barnes
PF Warriors
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