Don’t know anyone with CF? Here’s why you should be interested anyway.
Another way to promote CF Awareness month is to pass information along to friends and family who may not know anything about CF. You could try forwarding a website or handing out pamphlets from your local CFF chapter. If you’re looking for some ways to help people realize why it’s important to know about CF, here are some reasons why people should care, even if they don’t know anyone with CF.
The fact that CFers are living longer and having kids means the disease will become increasingly visible in our society in the future. You might not know someone now, but you could someday. Current data estimate that one out of every 29 Caucasians, one out of 46 Hispanics, one out of 65 African Americans and one out of 90 Asians are carriers of a defective CF gene. So even if you don’t know anyone with CF, there’s a good chance that you know several people who are carriers, although they don’t know it. These carrier rates will likely increase as more CF patients have children. If two parents both are carriers of a defective CF gene, they have a 25% chance that their child will have CF. For all of these reasons, it is becoming more and more likely that one day, someone you know will be affected by CF.
Despite the fact that this disease has historically affected a very small percentage of the population, the approach taken by advocates for CF has resulted in many great advancements in treatment that have enhanced both the lifespan and quality of life of those affected by the disease. These advancements in medical treatment over past two decades, highlighted in this article, are a good example of science and medicine at work, fighting a disease and making real progress. The amount of progress has been inspirational to me as a scientist. Who doesn’t love seeing results?
Hopefully even those who do not know anyone personally who has CF will appreciate these facts. Pass them along and help promote CF Awareness!
{ 0 comments… add one now }