What is Cystic Fibrosis?

Cystic Fibrosis (also known as CF, mucovoidosis, or mucoviscidosis) is a hereditary disease affecting the mucus glands of the lungs, liver, pancreas, and intestines, causing progressive disability due to multisystem failure.
Thick mucus production results in frequent lung infections. Diminished secretion of pancreatic enzymes is the main cause of poor growth, greasy stools, and deficiency in fat-soluble vitamins. Males can be infertile due to the condition congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens. Often, symptoms of CF appear in infancy and childhood.

There is no current cure for CF, and most individuals with cystic fibrosis die young: many in their 20s and 30s from lung failure. The predicted median age of survival for a person with CF is 37 years. However, with the continuous introduction of many new treatments, the life expectancy of a person with CF is increasing to ages as high as 40 or 50.
Cystic fibrosis is one of the most common life-shortening genetic diseases. In the United States, 1 in 4,000 children is born with CF. CF is caused by a mutation in the gene.

Most of you know my Nephew has Cystic Fibrosis. Like every year Aubrey and Josh and who ever they can get involved do a walk a thon and raise money for the foundation. I have copy and pasted her letter below.

I invite you to join my team for food, fun, music at the GREAT STRIDES event in Provo, Utah on June 6th. GREAT STRIDES is the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's largest, most successful, and most important national fund-raising event. So many young lives depend on the vital, ongoing advances in CF research - to keep that momentum going, we need your help now, more than ever! Walking in GREAT STRIDES is such an effective way to add tomorrows every day to the lives of those with CF. Your enthusiasm and fund-raising efforts will help give more tomorrows to those with CF every day. It's so easy to sign up - just visit my GREAT STRIDES Home page http://www.cff.org/Great_Strides/AubreyMoffat5858, click on "Join My Walk Team!". You'll then receive step-by-step instructions on how to register to join my team. The Web site also has lots of useful, easy-to-use features to help your fund-raising efforts, including fund-raising tips, tools to monitor your progress, and easy ways to invite people to make online donations to support your goal! Be sure to explore www.cff.org/GREAT_STRIDES today to learn more and start fund-raising! As your team leader, I'm also available to assist you in your fund-raising. Please don't hesitate to contact me with questions. Joining my GREAT STRIDES team is such a simple and effective way for you to show your support for this important cause. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of those with CF! Once again, thank you for supporting the mission of the CF Foundation, and welcome to my team! I will be making team t-shirts for everyone that can get at least $25 in donations. Please let me know when you've achieved this and what size of shirt you want. Donations can be made online as well check to the foundation or just plain cash. I'm so excited this year because last year was alot of fun. Can't wait to see you guys. Love you all. Aubrey Join My Team
Visit CF website
If you encounter a problem with a link, please visit my GREAT STRIDES Home Page at http://www.cff.org/Great_Strides/AubreyMoffat5858! NOTE: If link looks broken, cut and paste ENTIRE link into address bar. If you are presented with a "Find A Walker" page, enter my first and last name and click on "Find Walker." Then click "View Walker" by my name in the results list to go to "My GREAT STRIDES Home Page."

Thank you,
Aubrey Moffat