I was recently diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at age 67. Although I love my CF care team, I think it will be important for them to understand age-related care in addition to CF care — especially as the CF population ages.
Site Search
I have had a fortunate life with cystic fibrosis given the fact that I married, had two kids, and a career. However, with increasing — and sometimes bewildering — health issues, I’m beginning to wonder whether it’s my CF or just aging, or something in between.
People like me are living longer — median survival for someone with cystic fibrosis is now 56 thanks to research and care. But as I grow older, my health is getting more complicated and I'll need my care to keep up.
While I’ve had the incredible opportunity to participate in clinical trials for cystic fibrosis, my nonsense mutations mean I can’t benefit from modulators. I was inspired by the North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference’s second plenary session, which discussed how we can evolve clinical trials to develop treatments for all people with CF.
The third plenary at this year’s North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference focused on the changing needs of the CF population that are compelling an evolution in CF care. As a person with CF, this evolution in care directly affects me as I face the challenges of living longer with this disease.
Throughout my life with cystic fibrosis, I never thought about the prospect that I would outlive my loved ones. Now that I have attended some of their funerals, the thought of my own mortality has caught up with me.
Now that I’m in my 40s and post-lung transplant, I’m beginning to embrace the realities of aging with cystic fibrosis. Despite the gray hairs and deepening wrinkles, I know that I am lucky to be looking forward to mammograms and menopause.
There have never been as many new CF drugs in development as there are today. In the second plenary at NACFC, Dr. George Retsch-Bogart outlined the progress we've made, the road ahead and the changes needed to make it all possible. Read on for my key takeaways.
I'm a big proponent of participating in clinical research, but COVID-19 made me think twice about participating in a clinical trial that required six hospital visits. However, a screening visit reassured me that the researchers were taking all the necessary precautions.
Anything that slows down progress in research and the cure for this cystic fibrosis is my sworn enemy. Learn why the Improving Access to Clinical Trials Act (IACT) matters for our progress in the fight against CF and what you can do about it.