MollyK was founded in 2012 in memory of Mradula “Molly” Kalathia who passed away from Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). MollyK’s mission is to raise Pulmonary Fibrosis (PF) awareness and support research efforts to find a cure. We have organized and supported events (5K & 1K Run/Walk) in the DC and Boston area in collaboration with the PF community and organizations. The MollyK team has raised over $258,000 individually with the proceeds benefiting the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF), Inova Fairfax Hospital, and the Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis. In 2018, our team formally joined the national PFF Walk. This collaboration allows us to expand the reach of this event nationally in an effort to unite more patients, caregivers and medical professionals in the community and provide them with a platform to share their stories with others who have been affected by pulmonary fibrosis.

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF), means scarring of the lung, and can be seen in many types of interstitial lung diseases (ILD), which are characterized by varied amounts of inflammation, scarring, or both, that damage the ability of the lung to absorb oxygen from the air. More than 250,000 Americans are living with PF and ILD. Difficult to diagnose, PF and ILD can be debilitating and, in some cases, incurable. Causes of PF and ILD include the use of certain medications, radiation to the chest, autoimmune diseases, environmental, and occupational exposures. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, which has no known cause, is one of the most common forms of PF. The prevalence of PF and ILD is on the rise with more than 50,000 new cases diagnosed annually. With no known cure, certain forms of PF, such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, (IPF), may take the lives of patients within three to five years from diagnosis. The good news for people living with PF is that there are treatments designed to specifically manage the symptoms of the disease and researchers are studying new ways to halt its progression.

In 2020, we lost two additional family members (Molly’s brother and sister) to IPF. Although the word “idiopathic” means “of unknown cause,” a family history of pulmonary fibrosis is a risk factor. When 2 or more blood relatives are affected, this is considered familial pulmonary fibrosis (FPF). Currently, it is estimated that up to 20% of people with pulmonary fibrosis have FPF.

Pulmonary Fibrosis FoundationView Here Inova
Lung-TransplantView Here PF WarriorView Here Patients Like MeView Here Every Breath Counts DocumentaryView Here