September is Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month, and buildings in West Hartford, including the Delamar Hotel, will be lit up in blue, and others are asked to join the effort.

Submitted

Mayor Shari Cantor has proclaimed September as Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month in West Hartford.

Pulmonary Fibrosis (PF) is a devastating lung disease causing progressive scarring in the lungs. PF affects 200,000 Americans and 50,000 new cases are diagnosed each year.

The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation is asking you to light up your building with blue lights to raise awareness. All participating in the blue light initiative will be featured in this year’s #BlueUp4PF social media campaign, which reached 128,000 people on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram in 2017.

The Delamar West Hartford hotel in Blue Back Square has joined with other buildings and iconic structures throughout the country by featuring blue lighting and using the hashtag #BlueUp4PF, on social media to create an awareness of the incurable disease.

Among the places where blue lighting will be featured are Niagara Falls, the Superdome in New Orleans, and the Wrigley Building in Chicago.

Delamar’s fountain flanking the entrance of the hotel will turn blue on the evenings of Monday through Thursday, Sept. 24-27. The Delamar will also celebrate its first anniversary this month.

“We are pleased to participate in Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month in an effort to raise awareness and support the Pulmonary Fibrosis community locally and across the country,” said Daniel Coggins, regional director of Operations for the Delamar. “We hope that people photographing our fountain will include the hashtag “#BlueUp4FP in their posts.”

West Hartford resident Malcolm Doyle lives with PF and leads the Greater Hartford Pulmonary Fibrosis support group. “We are grateful to the Delamar for stepping up for our cause,” said Doyle. “Raising awareness has a huge impact in laying the groundwork for funding for research and programs to support patients and their families.

Locally, the Greater Hartford Pulmonary Fibrosis support group meets monthly at Elmwood Senior Center, 1106 New Britain Avenue.

About the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation

The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation mobilizes people and resources to provide access to high quality care and leads research for a cure so people with pulmonary fibrosis will live longer, healthier lives. The PFF collaborates with physicians, organizations, patients, and caregivers worldwide.  The PFF has a three-star rating from Charity Navigator and is a Better Business Bureau accredited charity. For more information, visit PulmonaryFibrosis.org or call 844-TalkPFF (844-825-5733) or 312-587-9272.

Like what you see here? Click here to subscribe to We-Ha’s newsletter so you’ll always be in the know about what’s happening in West Hartford!