Cystic fibrosis is the most common fatal genetic disease affecting Canadian children and young adults; there is no cure.

Cystic fibrosis causes a build up of thick mucus in the lungs leading to severe respiratory problems. All the while, mucus and protein build up in the digestive tract.  This also causes extreme difficulty in digesting and absorbing adequate nutrients from food. The effects of cystic fibrosis are most devastating in the lungs. Ultimately, most CF deaths are due to lung disease.

It is estimated that one in every 3,600 children born in Canada has cystic fibrosis.  Approximately 3,800 Canadian children, adolescents, and adults with cystic fibrosis attend specialized clinics.
In the U.S.A, the estimated number of people with cystic fibrosis is 30,000. The totals worldwide vary, but the overall outcome of cystic fibrosis is the same.


Ultimately a cure/control needs to be found. Please help us raise funds to achieve this goal.


Did you know…
  • One person dies from cystic fibrosis in Canada each week
  • Of the 63 patients that died in 2009, half were under 28 years old
  • One in every 3,600 children born in Canada has cystic fibrosis
  • 60% of people with cystic fibrosis are diagnosed in the first year of life, and 90% by age 10
  • Approximately 3,800 individuals with CF attend one of the 42 specialized cystic fibrosis clinics across Canada
  • CF patients spent over 20,000 days in-hospital and attended nearly 14,000 clinic visits in 2009
  • One in 25 Canadians carries a defective version of the gene responsible for cystic fibrosis
  • Over 1,800 mutations in the CFTR gene have been identified, however nearly 90% of individuals with CF in Canada carry at least one copy of the most common CF-causing mutation, ΔF508
  • In the 1960’s, most children with cystic fibrosis did not live long enough to attend kindergarten
  • Today, half of all Canadians with cystic fibrosis are expected to live into their 40s and beyond
  • Nearly 60% of all individuals with CF in Canada are adults
  • 86% of individuals with CF must take pancreatic enzymes to digest food and absorb nutrients
  • 35% of female adults with CF and 25% of male adults with CF are classified as underweight
  • 44 CF patients received transplants in 2009, more than double compared to a decade ago
  • Nearly half of all patients with CF are infected with harmful bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and/or Pseudomonas aeruginosa in their lungs
  • 13% of all individuals with CF have CF-related diabetes (CFRD), and more than one quarter of CF individuals, 35 years of age and older, have CF-related diabetes