My mum Linda was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in 2013. It started with a persistent cough which at first was diagnosed as asthma. It took us a long time to finally get our diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis. The diagnosis was given in a busy hospital ward by a trainee doctor in less than 2 minutes. This despite searches on the internet gave us a false sense of security because of course if it really was serious it wouldn't have been delivered in such a way. My mum started to see a specialist and it quickly became obvious that no treatment was available for this disease. All we could hope for was a lung transplant and at that stage mum wasn't deemed to be bad enough. That all changed through as we watched the active and energetic woman we love become more and more breathless. Simple tasks we take for granted like going up the stairs, walking to the toilet or dressing yourself became harder and harder. Mum was referred to harefield hospital for a lung transplant assessment. Her appointment came through for the 2nd October 2013. Mum was told at this appointment that the disease had effected her heart so much she wouldn't survive a transplant. She was told she had a 50:50 chance of living a year. Over the next 5 months I and the rest of my family hearts broke as we watched my mum deteriorate. Her breathing became harder and harder and the panic associated with this was horrendous for her. In her last few weeks and days she suffered dreadfully. On the 23rd February 2014 surrounded by her family at home in the bedroom she loved she slipped away from us. She left a husband, 3 children and 8 grandchildren. I will miss my beautiful, strong and determined mum every day for the rest of my life. I want to raise money to help give other sufferers a hope of effective treatment and one day a cure.