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Cystic Fibrosis
Hi, I'm not really sure what category to put this under so i'm going to go for this one!!
Well, first of all I have a really good friend that I've known since 1st grade! It is currently my senior year. We've continued to be best friends over the years, and we are talking about going to college together. Well my friend has cystic fibrosis. I've known this since as long as I can remember, but I've never actually taken the time to look into it. My friend seems to be really healthy, and you would never be able to tell she has this disease by looking at her. She stays really active (she plays volleyball and she is a cheerleader) and has dreams of becoming a singer. She has even started working on devoloping a record! :) I'm so proud of her strength and her drive. But I guess what I'm trying to get at is how will CF effect her future? I also heard that people with CF generally die at fairly young ages... this is something that really scares me. If anyone has any additional information I would REALLY appreciate it!
Lots of Love,
Ashley
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Maybe give some free advice about: Illnesses?
i dont know how it could affect your friend but since she's very healthy theres a chance she could live longer... hope i helped!
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We just learned about CF in Biology. Usually kids with CF die by the time they are in their 30's. Sometimes they live till their late 40's or early 50's.
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I have learned more about CF in the last couple of weeks then I think I would have. I've been working with CF kids as part of my pediatric rotation.
CF is a terrible disease where there is a deficit in a chloride channel which is autosomal recessive genetic disease. The problem occurs that pretty much any part of the body that has a "tube" related to it gets involved. The most dangerous or critical portion that gets affected is the lungs. The lungs are not able to clear all the mucous that "normal" people do. They get stuck with a lot of bacteria that generally we can clear but they can't. This causes them a lot of respiratory distress. There are other problems that arise from this disease, many become diabetic, they can't absorb many nutrients b/c the pancreas doesn't work properly. There are a lot of things going on too.
The average life expectancy is shortened by CF however that doesn't mean that they can't live full lives. They can now live into their 40's if they stay healthy. The best thing that you can do is just be supportive with her and if you want to get involved in the fight for a cure you can do a lot of things. My friends and I held a date auction which raised over a thousand dollars for CF. You can get involved in research if you like through the CHildren's Hospital or you can even volunteer at the CHildren's hospital.
YOu can find a lot of information on CF at www.cff.org
Breathe Easy. Cure Cystic Fibrosis. are those rubber bracelets that you can get to bring awareness and money for this cause.
Best of luck,
Arun
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The most serious complication of CF is infection in the lungs. Also, the inability of the lungs to clear out infection and mucus may lead to the inability to breathe. Nutrition plays an important role in strengthening the patient's immune system to fight disease. (CF) is one of the most life-threatening diseases in children. It affects many body systems by producing abnormally thick secretions that can obstruct the pancreas, intestines, bile ducts, and air passages in the lungs. Srry bout your friend she probably knows more about it then me so talk toher about it an dhow you feel.
~Brina~
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