CF is a life-threatening genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive systems of approximately 30,000 children and adults in the United States (70,000 worldwide). One in 31 Americans (more than 10 million people) is an unknowing, symptomless carrier of the defective CF gene.

In 1955, when the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation was founded, children with cystic fibrosis rarely lived to attend high school. Today the median age of survival for a person with CF is 32 years. We should not celebrate this achievement, since a single life is yet to be saved from this devastating disease, but it has become a sign of hope for a brighter tomorrow for individuals with the disease and their families.

Money buys science, and science does save lives. That’s why these events are so important. Through your support, you are insuring that aggressive, innovative research in CF will constantly be explored. By supporting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, you are helping to build a bridge of hope that will eventually lead to the ultimate victory: a cure for cystic fibrosis.

For more information on the progress in CF research and the programs and services available for people with the disease, go to www.cff.org.