The Facts

o Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a genetic condition. It is the most commonly inherited disease affecting the developed world, with 1 in ever 2,500 children affected.

o 1 in 25 people with Caucasian ancestry carry a defective CF gene (often without knowing it).

o There is a roughly 25% chance that a baby will be born with CF if both parents are carriers of the CF gene.

o CF is a multi-organ disease that affects the lungs, gut, liver, pancreas and reproductive tissues.

o At present, about half of those with CF will die by their late 30’s from lung disease.

o The major contributor to worsening health and early death is lung disease – which is the cause of death in over 90% of CF patients.

o CF results in ongoing loss of lung function due to repeated airway infections and lung tissue damage.

o Management requires intensive chest physiotherapy for up to two hours per day to break up mucus in the lungs and assist breathing.

o Up to 40 enzyme tablets are taken daily with food to aid with digestion.

o Current treatments are very short-lived and can only slow the inexorable destruction of the lung.

o Lung infections in CF patients continue to be extremely difficult to treat, even with the strongest antibiotics and most innovative therapies.

o Complications related to CF can lead to the destruction of malfunctioning of other organs, while the drugs used to treat CF can have debilitating side effects.

o NO CURE is available.