Documentary | Queen Latifah Presents ‘Beyond Breathless’

In 2018, Queen Latifah suffered the loss of her mother Rita Ownes to interstitial lung disease (ILD). Prior to her passing, the 2 were intentional about sharing Rita’s battle with systemic disease associated with ILD that causes irreversible scarring of the lungs. They missioned to use Latifah’s platform to do so. And now, the Emmy winning Actress, Artist and Producer is opening up about a journey through a documentary film.

“My mother suffered from scleroderma and my mother was a very private person,” she told ESSENCE.

“But when it came to this, she decided she wanted to share her story. And from the moment that we shared her story, it was almost shocking how many people started to come up to me, come up to her and let us know that they were experiencing the same things or they had family members who were. We had no idea.”

Beyond Breathless is a project in partnership with pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim. The drive behind the documentary is to continue to spread awareness and provide support to individuals and families dealing with illnesses associated with interstitial lung disease.

ILD is comprised of a large group of disorders potentially causing progressive scarring of lung tissue. The scarring associated with interstitial lung disease can affect the ability to breathe and get enough oxygen into the bloodstream. Although medications may slow the damage caused from the disease, many never regain full use of their lungs. An astonishing number of African Americans are impacted by the condition annually.

Check out the full piece available below. Visit LungsAndYou.com for more information on ILD.