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Lung disease survivor is 'a walking miracle'

By The Survivors Club Staff
November 16, 2009

Trey Schwab was facing the prospect of dying of pulmonary fibrosis until a lung transplant surgery saved his life in 2004. This weekend, the former assistant coach for the NBA Minnesota Timberwolves and Marquette University men's basketball will be joined by his doctor to speak to patients facing the challenge of PF in an effort to celebrate their lives and offer hope.

The two will participate in the Living with PF patient seminar that will be held on November 14 in Lisle, Illinois, and hosted by the Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis (CPF) which accepts donations towards finding a cure.

"I am so fortunate to be able to speak at this event to inform and inspire others," says Schwab, who thrives again and serves as an outreach coordinator for the transplant program at University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, where he underwent his surgery.

Meanwhile, Mishka Michon, the CEO of CPF, says "Trey is a walking miracle," and adds that the organization is determined to fight for more funding and research to ensure that "thousands more like Trey survive this disease."

According to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, another organization that accepts donations, there are more than 500,000 people in the U.S. who suffer from the disease.

The foundation says that while the exact cause remains unknown, various studies have suggested that limiting one's exposure to inhaled environmental and occupational pollutants, cigarette smoke and radiation may reduce the risk of developing pulmonary fibrosis.
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