Cystic Fibrosis Canada was founded in 1960 by concerned parents, physicians and friends who refused to accept that their children would not live long enough to attend kindergarten. They vowed to raise funds and awareness for cystic fibrosis until they could count on the long-term health of all those born with CF by finding a cure or effective control. Since Cystic Fibrosis Canada embarked on this mission more than 50 years ago, great progress has been made in the treatment of CF, and consequently, in the quality and length of life of CF patients.
Canadian researchers, funded by Cystic Fibrosis Canada, discovered the gene responsible for cystic fibrosis in 1989, advancing our understanding of the disease. Through our grant programs, Cystic Fibrosis Canada now provides funding for 40 CF clinics, 53 research projects, 58 fellows and students, and five centres for lung transplant.
Cystic Fibrosis was once considered a child’s disease, but in 2007 the number of adults living with CF surpassed the number of children. The truly remarkable pace of research over the last 50 years indicates that our investments have made a difference in the lives of those affected by CF, and that if we continue to invest in Canadian research CF will one day stand for Cure Found.
The graph below shows that as we continue to invest more money in Canadian research programs, the median age of survival has also risen dramatically.
