Great Strides: Josh and Emma

                  
Elisabeth Philbrick, Mother of Josh and Emma: These are our precious children, Joshua and Emma who fight cystic fibrosis (CF) every day! Please visit our website to donate and help find a cure for our sweet babies... http://www.cff.org/Great_Strides/Elis...

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the United States (70,000 worldwide). A defective gene and its protein product cause the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that:

1. Clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections; and
2. Obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes from helping the body break down and absorb food.

Symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis

1. People with CF can have a variety of symptoms; these symptoms vary on different people:
2. Very salty-tasting skin;
3. Persistent coughing, at times with phlegm;
4. Frequent lung infections;
5. Wheezing or shortness of breath;
6. Poor growth/weight gain in spite of a good appetite; and
7. Frequent greasy, bulky stools or difficulty in bowel movements.

Statistics

1. About 1,000 new cases of cystic fibrosis are diagnosed each year.
2. More than 70% of patients are diagnosed by age two.
3. More than 45% of the CF patient population is age 18 or older.
4. The predicted median age of survival for a person with CF is in the mid-30s.

Please donate, walk, and pray about all children and adults with Cystic Fibrosis. http://www.cff.org/AboutCF/