McGowan seeking a cure for Pulmonary Fibrosis following dad's death
Actress Rose Mcgowan is spearheading a new awareness campaign about Pulmonary Fibrosis after losing her father to the deadly lung disease.
The Grindhouse star's dad, artist Daniel McGowan, lost his battle with the illness two years ago (09) and now the actress is helping to give patients and their family members a voice as the Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis' (CPF) new ambassador.
In a post on her Facebook.com page on Friday (16Dec11), McGowan
confirms her new role, writing "My life was unalterably changed the
day my father was diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis (PF). He was my
touchstone in life and once I realized that he was suffering from a
disease that was 100% fatal, I found myself feeling utterly
helpless and broken-hearted.
"It has taken me a great deal of time to begin to heal and I still
shed tears at the most unexpected moments. He was taken at what
seems to me a fairly young age of 61 - my heart was not ready to
let him go.
"I am now in the fight to stop this horrible disease because you
can't change anything by bemoaning your fate or sitting on the
sidelines. After dealing with this tough loss, I have determined
that my course needs to be one of helping to stop the disease - my
loss can be turned into a win for all those diagnosed with PF in
the future... My decision to help the CPF in their work to stop PF
is my way of keeping my dad's legacy alive and making a
contribution to the world in his name.
"There are many causes that are better known, but watching the
inexorable destruction that PF wreaks on the patient and their
family and friends has convinced me of the urgency of this work. We
are losing as many patients as breast cancer, but the investment in
research for PF is minimal - it's time for a change."