Adding Tomorrows Every Day

The mission of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, a nonprofit donor-supported organization, is to assure the development of the means to cure and control cystic fibrosis and to improve the quality of life for those with the disease.

The Foundation is the leading organization in the United States devoted to cystic fibrosis. It funds and accredits more than 115 CF care centers, 95 adult care programs and 50 affiliate programs, and has 80 chapters and branch offices nationwide.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is one of the most efficient organizations of its kind. It has received a four-star rating for sound fiscal management from Charity Navigator, the largest independent charity evaluator in the United States and is an accredited charity of the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance.

The Foundation's business model has been recognized by the National Institutes of Health and by publications such as Forbes, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and BusinessWeek.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Is…Hope in Action 

Until we conquer this disease, our team will work tirelessly to extend and enhance life for those with cystic fibrosis by functioning as:  

• Scientific pioneers, blazing new trails in CF research;
  
  
• Fund-raisers, securing the money needed to support our efforts;
  
  
• Advocates, keeping CF a top priority in government, industry and research;
  
  
• Investors, funding drug discovery and development;
  
  
• Caregivers, linking patients and families to specialized CF care; and
  
  
• Family, offering support, information and resources.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Is…Building on Success

• When the Foundation was established in 1955, children with CF were not expected to live long enough to attend elementary school. Due in large part to the Foundation's aggressive investments in innovative research and comprehensive care, the predicted median survival age for people with this disease is now more than 37 years.
  
  
• In 1989, CF Foundation-supported scientists discovered the defective gene that causes cystic fibrosis—a monumental breakthrough on the road to a cure.
  
  
• The Foundation has played an integral role in the development and FDA approval of four therapies that are now a routine part of treatment regimens for many with CF. The Foundation is actively supporting more than 30 potential new treatments currently in development—that's more than in the entire history of the disease. Our challenge is to find enough patients to join clinical trials to keep the research moving forward.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Is…Still Making Progress  

We are proud of our achievements. But, we still have much to do. Learn more about what the Foundation does to fight cystic fibrosis and how you can get involved.

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Updated 01/22/09