What is Cystic Fibrosis?

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 clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections. It also obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes from helping the body break down and absorb food.

In the 1950s, few children with cystic fibrosis lived to attend elementary school. Today, advances in research and medical treatments have further enhanced and extended life for children and adults with CF. Many people with the disease can now expect to live into their 30s, 40s and beyond.
Symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis

People with CF can have a variety of symptoms, including:
-- very salty-tasting skin;
-- persistent coughing, at times with phlegm;
-- frequent lung infections;
-- wheezing or shortness of breath;
-- poor growth/weight gain in spite of a good appetite; and
-- frequent greasy, bulky stools or difficulty in bowel movements.

Statistics
-- About 1,000 new cases of cystic fibrosis are diagnosed each year.
-- More than 70% of patients are diagnosed by age two.
-- More than 40% of the CF patient population is age 18 or older.
-- In 2007, the predicted median age of survival was 38 years.

(Information provided by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation)

Life's Busyness

I really haven't intended to go AWOL with my blog. There could be many excuses, but the truth is work's been extremely busy.

I am the executive director for the Central Texas chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. I've spent a good 20+ years in the nonprofit sector and found myself at a career crossroads nearly two years ago.

I loved the nonprofit sector but was feeling unchallenged. A good friend and mentor advised me to move to a bigger market. I'd worked as an executive director before but felt that it was a stressful situation, and at the end of the day, I needed to be a wife and a mother. I started pursuing opportunities in headquarters or regional offices of the few national nonprofits based in Dallas.

As I researched nonprofits, I came upon the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF). I didn't know anything at all about this organization, but I liked what I saw and read. Unfortunately, CFF is based in Bethesda, MD, and I didn't want to leave Texas. Now, CFF did have a Texas job available, but it was for an E.D., and it was in Austin. It was the only Austin job I applied for and the only E.D. job I pursued. Fast forward a year and a half, and here I am.

Since my job is so busy, I'm going to write a series of blogs about cystic fibrosis, CFF and my chapter. I've long believed that God puts each one of us on this earth to help people. I realized as a young college student that I was not cut out to go into the mission field or Peace Corps, but I could use my strengths and talents in ways to benefit others. In my case, I parlayed my p.r. and marketing skills into fundraising and event planning and have definitely found my calling.