About CF
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common, fatal hereditary disease in the U.S., affecting approximately 30,000 Americans.
CF is a disorder of the cells that line the lungs, small intestines, sweat glands and pancreas. Sticky, thick mucus contributes to the destruction of lung tissue and impedes gas exchange in the lungs. It also prevents nutrient absorption in the small intestines, and blocks pancreatic ducts from releasing digestive enzymes. Approximately 85% of all people with CF cannot properly digest their food without supplemental enzymes.
People with CF exhibit some or all of these common symptoms, to varying degrees:
- salty-tasting skin
- excessive appetite along with poor weight gain
- loose, foul-smelling stools
- persistent cough, wheezing or pneumonia
Other symptoms may include the following:
- clubbed fingers
- digestive disorders
- smaller than average in height and weight
- susceptibility to heat prostration and dehydration
- male sterility
- diabetes and/or liver disorders
CF patients are frequently hospitalized for chronic lung infections and digestive disorders.
People with CF must follow a strict regimen for the treatment of this disease. This regimen includes taking medications such as antibiotics to fight respiratory infections, enzymes to aid in food digestion, and vitamins to improve general health. Some people with CF use aerosols to open restricted airways. To dislodge mucus from the lungs, people with CF must undergo chest physical therapy or other therapy methods; in some cases, they must use oxygen. People with CF also must follow a strict diet, and avoid people with colds or infections.
One in 25 Caucasians is a symptomless carrier of the CF gene. Thanks to advances in medical care, the median life expectancy for someone with CF is now nearly 37 years.
To learn about other people living with cystic fibrosis, visit the Cystic Fibrosis WebRing. Powered by WebRing.
About Lung Transplants
Currently, there are 95,113 people waiting for organ transplant. About 28,000 transplants are performed every year in the United States. Eighteen people die a day waiting for an organ transplant. About 2,860 people are waiting for lung transplants in the US.
Lung transplants offer a miraculous second chance for people with end-stage lung disease. However, they are the least successful solid organ transplant. The one-,three-, and five- year survival for a lung recipient is 82, 64 and 49%, respectively. The most common complications from lung transplants include chronic rejection of the lungs, infection, cancer, diabetes and stroke.
The first transplant, a kidney transplant, was performed in 1954 between identical twins. In 1981, the first successful heart-lung transplant was performed by Dr. Bruce Reitz at Stanford University Hospital in Palo Alto, California. In 1983, Dr. Joel Cooper of Toronto General Hospital in Toronto, Canada, performed the first successful single lung transplant, and in 1986, he also performed the first successful double lung transplant. In 1990, Dr. Vaughn A. Starnes of Stanford University Medical Center completed the first successful living-related lung transplant.
In the last 20 years, important medical breakthroughs such as tissue typing and immunosuppressant drugs have allowed for a larger number of organ transplants and a longer survival rate for transplant recipients. The most notable development in this area was Jean Borel's discovery of an immunosuppressant drug called Cyclosporine in the mid-1970s. This drug was approved for commercial use in November 1983.
The true heroes in organ donation are the donors and their families. By sharing their wishes with their family members, organ donors spare their family the agony of making donation decisions at the tragic point of death. Through donation, grieving families can find meaning, purpose and comfort in knowing their loved ones' death was not in vain, but in fact their loved one left a legacy by helping to give the gift of life.
To learn about other people living with transplantation, visit:
To sign up to be an organ donor, visit:
If you live in California, visit:
