PanAmerican Seed Brings Light To Lung Disease Fight

Posted by Greenhouse Grower Staff|January 28, 2021

PanAmerican Seed has announced its next Beacon Impatiens charitable donation will go toward the fight against pulmonary fibrosis, a progressive and deadly lung disease.

Both the Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation and its counterpart in The Netherlands, the Dutch Association of Pulmonary Fibrosis Patients, will each receive a portion of 2021 global seed sales of Beacon Impatiens, an Impatiens walleriana series with high resistance to Impatiens downy mildew.

“We are pleased Beacon can once again shine the light on a rare disease and support the teams dedicated to making a difference,” says Claire Josephson, Marketing Manager for PanAmerican Seed. “Launching Beacon Impatiens has positively impacted color in shade gardens everywhere this past year. Now Beacon customers know that their seed purchases result in even more positivity beyond the bench.”

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a disease that scars and stiffens the lungs, making it increasingly difficult to breathe and accomplish daily tasks. It is a lesser-known disease that affects not only the thousands of people inflicted with PF, but also their families and caregivers. There is also evidence of “familial” PF diagnosis, where genetic predisposition and family history are strongly associated with increased risk to the disease.

The Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation and the Dutch Association of Pulmonary Fibrosis Patients work to support people living with the disease, as well as provide education, information, advocacy, and support to ensure access to quality health care. They also invest in research to offer the hope of new and improved treatments for PF and an eventual cure.