Steve Kornacki, NBC News and MSNBC National Political Correspondent, joined the American Lung Association as an Ambassador to tell his family’s personal story of lung disease. In late 2021, Steve’s mother, Anne, was rushed to the emergency department due to chest pain and difficulty breathing. When doctors discovered spots on her lungs during the imaging, she braced herself for bad news. “I had never even heard of interstitial lung disease until my doctor said it that day,” started Anne.
Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is an umbrella term for a group of rare diseases that cause chronic inflammation of the lungs, leading to coughing and difficulty breathing. ILD can lead to scarring of the lung and, in the most severe cases, may require a lung transplant.
Anne’s husband, Steve, Sr., wanted to raise public awareness and funds in support of lung health research by participating in the American Lung Association’s Trek Across Maine, traditionally a three-day, 180-mile bike ride meandering through the iconic maritime landscape. “I wasn’t able to do the traditional trek, so I bought an electric bike and did the Bike Your Way option, committing to my own route of 500 miles over a longer period,” Steve, Sr. recounted. In the end, he raised nearly $5,000 for the Lung Association, including his son Steve, Jr.’s contribution which was matched by his employer.
Many will recognize Steve, Jr. for his boundless energy during election coverage, donning his signature khakis in front of his magic whiteboard like an electoral weatherman. “Numbers have always helped me understand things. They provide vital context for drawing comparisons,” he explained. In fact, his deep experience in contextualizing election data primed his own research skills. After his mother’s diagnosis, Steve, Jr. spent hours scouring the internet for research literature but was met with frustration. “There’s no shortage of information when you're trying to get political data within the world I work. That was a great frustration when my mom told me about this diagnosis as there seemed to be a pretty significant shortage of data and detailed research out there,” Steve, Jr. added.
Now months after the diagnosis, the Kornacki family has reason to feel hopeful. Anne visited an ILD specialist in Boston who was able to catch it early to prevent progression to tissue scarring. Between her new medications and exercising three times a week in a pulmonary rehabilitation program, “It’s made a big change physically and mentally in how I feel,” Anne said.
But the scarcity of ILD information for patients underlies the Kornacki family’s public plea. “There’s a need for targeted investments in research and the American Lung Association plays a significant role in supporting that,” noted Steve, Jr.
They hope this story will inspire donations to the Lung Association to expand our lung research program, continue to educate people on lung health and provide actionable information for those living with lung disease. “The numbers don’t lie,” stated Steve, Jr. “The lack of research dollars means a lack of research.”
Page last updated: January 23, 2023
