Dear Friend of the CF Foundation,
We are pleased to report that the median survival age of people with cystic fibrosis has risen to 36.8 years--up from 35.1 in 2004!
For decades, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has tracked the health and longevity of patients treated through its innovative care center network. Caregivers at these centers collect confidential vital statistics about the health of CF patients, which skilled statisticians then analyze and publish in the annual CF Foundation Patient Registry Report.
As an interesting perspective, in the last four years alone, we have added more than five years to the median survival age of CF patients.
We attribute the improvement in both the length and quality of life to the fact that there are now more CF therapies than ever before--largely developed with the CF Foundation’s support--and even more on the horizon. In addition, the standardization of care and the implementation of “best practices” throughout our care center network also are having an impact.
We will not rest until we reach the point when people are no longer losing their lives to cystic fibrosis. Today’s trend of continuous improvement suggests that we are getting closer to reaching that goal.
Thank you for your interest and support of the CF Foundation’s mission. Together, we are adding tomorrows every day to the lives of those with CF.
Sincerely,
Robert J. Beall, Ph.D., President and CEO
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
6931 Arlington Road
Bethesda, MD 20814
info@cff.org
