Fast Facts:
- Approximately 30,000 people in the United States have CF
- The CDC recommends that CFers have at least six feet between them. If one has a bacteria in their lungs and they cough on another CFer, the other can get that bacteria. At the Great Strides walk, all CFers wear shirts identifying them as having CF so they know to keep that distance. Five Feet Apart, which is both a book and a movie, illustrates that recommendation.
- A lung transplant is not a cure for CF. In fact, it’s the final option when a CFer’s lungs have stopped fighting back. There’s a 50% change of organ rejection, and the lifespan is about 5-10 years post-transplant.
- Improved medical treatments have lengthened the lifespan of CF patients, with more than half of CFers being age 18 and older and some living into their 30s and 40s.
About the Author
Ashley Haugen