Key Highlights
- Laura Dern is honoring her mother’s legacy by raising awareness about idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).
- Diane Ladd was diagnosed with IPF in 2018 and lived for over seven years after the diagnosis.
- The Beyond the Scars campaign aims to educate families dealing with interstitial lung disease (ILD).
Laura Dern Honors Mom’s Legacy by Shining Light on IPF
Actress Laura Dern is continuing a promise she made to her late mother, Diane Ladd, by launching an awareness campaign for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a terminal lung disease that took the life of the acclaimed actress in November 2025.
Diagnosis and Journey
In 2018, Diane Ladd was diagnosed with IPF, a progressive condition that scars the lungs irreversibly. The diagnosis came as a devastating blow to the family, but it also ignited a fierce resolve in both mother and daughter.
“She never wanted anyone to have to naively be in pain without answers,” Dern told PEOPLE about her mother’s wishes. “Just too much time was spent like that for both of us.” The actress explained that IPF is often misdiagnosed, leading to unnecessary suffering and frustration.
From Caregiver to Advocate
As a caregiver, Dern initially found it challenging to navigate the emotional turmoil. “I have to admit, as a caregiver, I’d love to make it sound like I was such a perfect champion for her, but at the beginning, I think I was so traumatized by this diagnosis that I was ready to accept: ‘Be delicate with your mother. There’s nothing, really, you can do.'”
With the help of a pulmonologist, Dern and Ladd developed a plan to maintain lung function through medication and regular walks together, which became the foundation for their joint memoir “Honey, Baby, Mine.” Despite the difficult journey, they managed to find moments of joy and connection.
Beyond the Scars Campaign
Now, Dern is following through on a vow she made before Ladd’s death: to spread awareness about IPF. She is working with Boehringer Ingelheim on Beyond the Scars, an initiative aimed at educating families dealing with interstitial lung disease (ILD).
“I was really moved,” Dern shared. “My mom is a public figure, and she’s very private. When she first talked about wanting to do this campaign, I thought, ‘Do you really wanna be so personal about your own lung disease?
You can live privately in these last years and not share everything.’ And she’s like, ‘And not have other people be able to learn about it? No, that’s not me.'”
Through Beyond the Scars, Dern hopes to honor her mother’s legacy by helping others understand IPF and providing support to those affected. “She wanted to share that with her grandchildren, as well as others,” Dern added. “To be reminded of what we can do with our time while living with a disease diagnosis like this, like IPF.”
