What is Cystic Fibrosis?

CF is a genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of approximately 30,000 people in the U.S. A defective gene and it's protein product cause the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs airways and lead to life-threatening lung infections, and obstructs the pancreas from making enzymes that the body needs to digest food. The average life expectancy is 37 years old which has went up tremendously from in the past where children didn't live to attend elementary school. Symptoms of people with CF include the following: salty tasting skin, persistant cough, frequent lung infections, wheezing & shortness of breath, and poor weight gain.