What the heck is Cystic Fibrosis?

So what is Cystic Fibrosis?

Not many people actually know what it is or how it effects the body...

Here is an explanation:

Cystic Fibrosis is a condition in which the lungs and digestive system can become clogged with thick, sticky mucus. It is also the most common life-threatening illness in the UK!!

Cystic Fibrosis (or CF) can cause problems with breathing and digestion from a very young age. Over many years, the lungs become more and more damaged and may eventually stop working properly, which means, yes. Transplant is very much on the cards for the future...

Most cases of CF in the UK are now identified through testing carried out in the heel prick test just after birth. It's estimated that 1 in every 2,500 babies born in the UK has CF!

Lots of treatments are available to help reduce the problems caused by the condition, but unfortunately life expectancy is reduced for people who have it. The average life expectancy of a CF patient is around 40.

How do you get CF? Can you catch it?

This is a question that I have been asked a lot before. The answer is no. You can not catch CF. It is caused by a faulty gene that you inherit from both of your parents.

The faulty gene affects the movement of salt and water in and out of cells. This, along with recurrent infections, can result in a build-up of thick, sticky mucus in the body's tubes and passageways.

To be born with CF, you have to inherit two copies of this faulty gene – one from each of your parents. There are hundreds of different gene mutations, but I have the most common and have two copies of the Delta f508 gene! Your parents will not usually have the condition themselves, because they will only carry one faulty gene and one that works normally.

If both of your parents carry the faulty gene, this means that thy are a carrier of CF (but don’t actually have it) and there is a 25% chance that each child they have will be born with CF!

So there is an explanation of what CF is and how it effects the body! Feel free to ask me anything in the comments below and I will try my best to answer them!

K💖