National Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Week Declared in U.S.

Early detection increases life expectancy

The United States Senate unanimously passed Resolution S 98 declaring National Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Week in the United States October 12 - 18, 2003.

The resolution was sponsored by Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell of Colorado.

Cystic Fibrosis is an inherited disease which affects about 30,000 people in the U.S. and 60,000 worldwide. 2 genes for CF, one from each parent, must be inherited in order for a child to have CF. It is estimated that 1 in 30 (10 million) Americans are symptomless carriers of a gene for CF.

Why have an awareness week?

The National Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Committee (NCFAC), a volunteer organization with members nationwide and associates all over the world, believes that raising awareness of CF is crucial to the future of individuals with the disease. Increased knowledge and understanding of CF in schools, the workplace and social situations will greatly improve their quality of life. In addition, awareness brings about earlier diagnosis, which is imperative for optimal treatment.

Want to learn more about spreading awareness about CF? Visit the NCFAC web site. http://www.cfawareness.org Free materials are available for downloading and using in classrooms for education purposes.

Some symptoms of CF are: salty-tasting skin, persistent cough, wheezing or pneumonia, excessive appetite, poor weight gain. People may have some, all, or none of these symptoms. The most common test for CF is a simple, painless one called a "sweat test".

CF causes the body to produce abnormally thick, sticky mucus which can interfere with digestion (causing mal-absorption) and clog the lungs (leading to life-threatening infections).