Driven by Experience.
United for Change.

Hello and welcome.

My name is Kelsea Arford, and I’m the founder of the PAP Alliance and someone living with autoimmune Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis (aPAP). I created this nonprofit because I know exactly how lonely, confusing, and overwhelming this disease can be—and I don’t want anyone else to go through it alone.

My journey with aPAP began unexpectedly in September 2021. What started as a routine visit to my doctor for stomach issues quickly spiraled into a terrifying medical mystery. I was hospitalized for two weeks, and was eventually discharged without a diagnosis.

For nine months, I searched desperately for answers, seeing eight pulmonologists, three hospitals, and even a surgeon. Though aPAP was suggested early on, it was dismissed repeatedly because of how rare it is.

Everything changed when I met another aPAP patient during an online webinar who encouraged me to request the GM-CSF autoantibody blood test. That test confirmed what I had known in my gut for months: I had aPAP.

Finally getting a diagnosis felt like a victory, but it was only the beginning. My life is defined by medications, oxygen levels, fatigue, and constant medical management.

And yet, through all of this, I have found purpose.

I founded the PAP Alliance because I want to create what I needed most: a safe, welcoming, supportive space for PAP patients and their families. Living with a rare lung disease shouldn’t mean living in isolation. Through this organization, we aim to provide trusted information, emotional support, and connection to resources that can make life easier—and more enjoyable—for those affected by PAP.

To everyone facing this disease: you are not alone. Whether you were recently diagnosed or have been living with PAP for years, this community is for you. We’re here to walk with you, uplift you, and remind you that even in the midst of struggle, there is still strength, joy, and hope.