WEST CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: As part of its product launch promise, Beacon Impatiens brings light – and happiness – back to shade gardens worldwide. In that spirit, PanAmerican Seed is proud to announce its next Beacon charitable donation will go towards the fight against Pulmonary Fibrosis (PF), 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 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.
“We are incredibly pleased to be chosen as PanAmerican Seed’s charity for support for 2021,” says Sharon Lee, Executive Director, CPFF. “We look forward to working with them to increase awareness of pulmonary fibrosis through their social media channels and to receiving their donation in September during Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month.”
“We are very happy with this charity donation from PanAmerican Seed,” says Henk Roseboom, board member of the Dutch Association of Pulmonary Fibrosis Patients. “We will use this donation through our research foundation, Pendersfonds, to support scientific research into familial pulmonary fibrosis.”
Besides the monetary donation at the completion of the 2021 season, PanAmerican Seed will raise further awareness of the fight against PF through its website, BeaconImpatiens.com, and customer communications.
Beacon Impatiens was developed by PanAmerican Seed to have high resistance to Impatiens downy mildew (IDM), a devastating plant disease that has caused frustration and plant loss in gardens around the globe since 2010. Beacon Impatiens bloom all season long and quickly fill in hanging baskets, window boxes, patio containers and landscapes with cheerful, brightly colored blooms. They offer the same look, size and easy-to-grow care as traditional impatiens without the risk of IDM.
To learn more about The Beacon Story, and to get a closer look at our 2021 charitable foundations, please visit www.BeaconImpatiens.com.
About PanAmerican Seed
PanAmerican Seed is an internationally renowned breeder and producer of seed-raised flowers and vegetables based in West Chicago, Illinois, USA that produces high-quality and best-performing varieties. Research facilities in North and South America, the Pacific Rim and Europe enable us to test and evaluate new varieties under numerous climatic conditions. Our state-of-the-art seed distribution center guarantees quick, efficient processing of orders for our worldwide customers. Visit www.panamseed.com for more information.
About The Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation
The Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation is a registered Canadian Charitable Foundation established in 2009 to provide hope and support for people affected by pulmonary fibrosis. It raises money to find causes and treatments for PF, provides education and support for people affected by pulmonary fibrosis, and helps answer those non-medical questions frequently asked by those suffering with the disease. The CPFF is a not-for-profit charitable organization. Learn more at www.cpff.ca.
About The Dutch Association of Pulmonary Fibrosis Patients
The pulmonary fibrosis patient association is there for patients with pulmonary fibrosis and their families. We answer the questions of patients, look for solutions with them and are happy to offer a listening ear. In addition, the association keeps patients informed of developments in the field of pulmonary fibrosis. The association has a committed and professional advisory board of care providers, a coordinator and active board members and volunteers. We founded the Pendersfonds to financially support research into the cause of pulmonary fibrosis, improved treatments, and an eventual cure. Visit www.longfibrose.nl.
