May is Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month. CF is a genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive systems in many. A cure for CF has yet to be discovered, but there are many treatments to help reduce the severity of the disease. There are a multitude of ways to help the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation with time and money.
As a life threatening disease, Cystic Fibrosis causes mucus to build up and clog some of the organs in the body, particularly the lungs and pancreas. Not only can the mucus cause severe breathing issues, but this thick mucus also causes bacteria to get stuck in the airways, which causes inflammation and infections that lead to lung damage. Mucus can block the digestive tract and pancreas. The mucus stops digestive enzymes from getting to the intestines, which are needed to break down food. People with CF often need to replace these enzymes with medicine they take with their meals and snacks, which helps them digest food and get proper nutrition.
CF is a genetic disease found in genes when children are born. Many people, like Sophomore Taylor Swaggerty, say that they, “want to know how to prevent Cystic Fibrosis,” so that young people have the life they deserve. Unfortunately, it is not a disease people can prevent. To have cystic fibrosis, a person must inherit two copies of the defective CF gene—one copy from each parent. If both parents are carriers of the CF gene, their child will have a 25% chance of inheriting both defective copies and having cystic fibrosis, a 50% chance of inheriting one defective copy and being a carrier, and a 25% chance of not having CF or carrying the gene. Approximately 30,000 children and adults in the United States have cystic fibrosis. An additional ten million more—or about one in every 31 Americans—are carriers of the defective CF gene, but do not have the disease.
With CF, the severity of symptoms is different from person to person. The most common symptoms are salty-tasting skin; persistent coughing, at times producing phlegm; frequent lung infections, like pneumonia or bronchitis; wheezing or shortness of breath; and poor growth/weight gain in spite of a good appetite. New research shows that the severity of CF symptoms is partly based on the types of CF gene mutations (defects) a person with the disease has. There are more than 1,000 different mutations of the CF gene.
Currently, there is no cure for CF. However, specialized medical care, aggressive drug treatments, and therapies, along with proper CF nutrition, can lengthen and improve the quality of life for those with CF. the average life expectancy for someone with the disease is mid- 30s. The best way for people with CF to fight their disease is to work with their medical caregivers at a CF Foundation-accredited care center. CF caregivers at a CF Foundation-accredited care center work closely with CF patients and their families to create individualized treatment plans. Since CF affects the lungs of most patients, a large part of the treatment routine is to clear mucus from the airways by using different airway clearance techniques. These techniques use vibrations to help loosen the mucus in the lungs so it can be coughed out.
As with any other serious illness, CF research is a team effort. Scientists across the world are working to understand and beat this complex disease, with the hope that one or more of the many approaches to therapies will lead to a cure. Students can help advance CF research in several ways. Making a donation helps because money buys science and science buys life. Contacting a local CF Foundation chapter and volunteering guarantees students assist patients personally. Becoming an advocate and raising awareness by helping educate elected officials also assists the CF community.
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is a great foundation to be involved with, because CF is a scary disease. Many people suffer from the tragic disease; with continued education and support, finding a cure is imminent. If interested learning more, visit their site at http://www.cff.org/. Help out today!