Meet Bill Ashley

I became involved with the PFF after my diagnosis of IPF in 2020. The information that the PFF provides patients like me allows us to understand the disease better and feel more empowered in advocating for our care. After the support that the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation showed me and my family, I wanted to give back to the PFF.

Five years ago, I never could have imagined I would accomplish a feat like my Florida Keys walk. The day I learned of my diagnosis will forever be ingrained in my mind. What started as a routine physical quickly became a life-changing moment for me and my family. My wife, Tiffanie, and I were in shock when my doctors told me that I had IPF and then stated that, at most, I would have 18 to 24 months left to live. Before leaving the room, my doctor informed me that I should go home and get my affairs in order.

Our car ride home from this appointment was filled with tears as we were told that there was no cure for my diagnosis, only treatments that may slow its progression. I made an appointment with another doctor for a second opinion; however, there was a two-week wait. Those two weeks of waiting for my second opinion were the longest days of my life. The mental pressure this disease places on a person is incredibly difficult. You can feel like your only option is to give up and assume you are dying.

My second opinion was at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. While my diagnosis was confirmed, the staff approached the care plan differently. They urged me to change my mindset and suggested that I start considering how I was going to manage my disease. After that appointment, I gained a new outlook. I decided to spend the rest of my life living with IPF instead of wondering when I would die from it.

That summer, I was speaking with one of my colleagues about a yearly walk he does from Key Largo to Key West. He completed this a few times and raised money for different charities. After I told him about my involvement with the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, we thought this could be a perfect way for me to give back to the organization.

I contacted the PFF and worked with them on organizing my fundraiser, “The Keys for a Cure.” In July, I began training for my 106-mile journey along the Florida Keys. Six months later on January 5th, I started my journey, pushing myself to walk seven miles per day while spreading information about pulmonary fibrosis and the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation to everyone I met along my route. I walked the entire 106-mile journey over a two-week period, and on January 17th, I crossed mile marker 0 in Key West. Throughout this experience, I raised over $45,000 for the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation while meeting countless new people and raising awareness about the disease.