About Cystic Fibrosis
What is Cystic Fibrosis?
Cystic fibrosis ("CF") is a fatal genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of people living with it. According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, about 30,000 children and adults in the United States are affected by this disease.
Cystic fibrosis causes the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that: clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections; and obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes from helping the body break down and absorb food. As a result, individuals living with this disease have to go through daily therapy that includes special exercises to loosen mucus in the lungs and to strengthen breathing and cardiovascular function. Because of frequent lung infections, people battling the disease have to endure frequent hospital stays.
According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, in the 1950s, few children with cystic fibrosis lived to attend elementary school. Advances in research and medical treatments have further enhanced and extended life for children and adults with CF. Many people with the disease can now expect to live into their 30s, 40s and beyond. For more information please visit: http://www.cff.org.
Statistics
Cystic fibrosis ("CF") is a fatal genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of people living with it. According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, about 30,000 children and adults in the United States are affected by this disease.
Cystic fibrosis causes the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that: clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections; and obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes from helping the body break down and absorb food. As a result, individuals living with this disease have to go through daily therapy that includes special exercises to loosen mucus in the lungs and to strengthen breathing and cardiovascular function. Because of frequent lung infections, people battling the disease have to endure frequent hospital stays.
According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, in the 1950s, few children with cystic fibrosis lived to attend elementary school. Advances in research and medical treatments have further enhanced and extended life for children and adults with CF. Many people with the disease can now expect to live into their 30s, 40s and beyond. For more information please visit: http://www.cff.org.
Statistics
- About 1,000 new cases of cystic fibrosis are diagnosed each year.
- More than 70% of patients are diagnosed by age two.
- More than 45% of the CF patient population is age 18 or older.
- The predicted median age of survival for a person with CF is in the mid-30s. (http://www.cff.org/AboutCF)