The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Kalydeco® (ivacaftor) for infants as young as 1 month who have at least one copy of 97 mutations that have proven to be responsive to Kalydeco.
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My wife and I were heartbroken when our daughter, Ruth, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis as a newborn. But CF can’t stop us from being optimistic about what the future holds for our family.
Advances in cystic fibrosis care have been life-changing for me, and I’m grateful to breathe easier with a CFTR modulator. However, I began to experience new issues in the past few years, and I am left wondering if it’s a side effect of the CFTR modulator or something else.
I felt unrelenting hope watching the first plenary of this year’s North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference. As I learned about progress that has been made in sickle cell disease, and how those learnings may help us develop a genetic therapy for CF, it showed me that the CF community is supporting people like me who can’t take modulators.
The second plenary at this year’s North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference focused on infections, how they are evolving as CF evolves, and how many people with CF still struggle with infections despite modulators. As a person with CF, the evolution of infection research has accelerated progress in my own life.
As someone who has fought to have my mental health struggles acknowledged in the past, I was heartened that the third plenary at this year’s North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference focused on the integration of mental health into CF care and research, as well as the mental health well-being of CF care teams.
Cystic fibrosis defined my identity for many years until I participated in clinical trials for Trikafta®. As my health improved, I struggled to figure out what this meant for my sense of self. This experience motivated me to help other young adults with CF navigate the many changes that modulators can bring.
I have learned a lot about myself in the three years since I started Trikafta®. Even though I am healthier, I feel less connected to the cystic fibrosis community and my care team.
Medical Experts From 46 Countries to Collaborate at World's Largest Forum on CF Research and Care for Life-Threatening Genetic Disease