Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a progressive, genetic, life shortening disease that impacts various organs leading to thick, sticky mucus particularly in the lungs and digestive system making it difficult to breathe and fight life-threatening infections, often leading to extensive lung damage and respiratory failure.
CF requires individuals to be extremely committed and diligent about managing their condition in hopes for the necessary health to live life to the fullest. 

Charlee is a wonderful and active 12-year-old girl and was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at one month old through newborn screening. She has been extremely blessed to have maintained a very strong, hopeful health in her recent years, but like many others living with CF, unfortunately this has not always been the case for Charlee. 

In 2021, after a number of years vigorously working to gain weight with no success, Charlee had reached a point of malnutrition resulting in “Nutritional Failure” to which she then received G-tube surgery. In addition to her daily high fat and protein diet, she now benefits from an overnight continuous (bolus) feed. Charlee’s quality of life immediately showed promising results, improving leaps and bounds and has continued to do so! 

A day in the life for Charlee, and many others living with CF, consists of proactively managing unfortunate aspects of life that many of us healthy individuals do not have to experience. 

Charlee wakes up every morning and puts on a vest that entails a 30 minute chest physical therapy treatment to assist in loosening the mucas that forms in her lungs; she repeats this treatment every night before bed. Mid-day she performs an additional airway clearance treatment via nebulizer to help thin the mucus and prevent fewer lung infections. She takes approximately 35 pills a day consisting of 6 pills prior to each meal/snack and additional nutritional medications morning and night. Lastly, she relies on her feeding tube throughout the night to ensure she receives the essential nutrients to maintain the proper weight to thrive.

While there is still no cure for Cystic Fibrosis, unlike the 1950’s where children rarely lived long enough to attend elementary school, many individuals with CF today are now living long enough to pursue college, careers, and build a families! 

None of this would be possible without the Cystic Fibrosis Foundations dedicated commitment to developing new and improved treatments! The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is the world's leader in the fight against CF, funding more research than any other organization and nearly every drug available to Charlee and everyone with CF was made possible through the Foundation! The CFF in a non-profit organization with a specific goal- to one day provide a cure for EVERY individual fighting this disease which is why 90 cents to the $1 of all donations goes directly to fund research, care, and educational programs for CF!
Please consider donating to our cause and helping us make CF stand for CURE FOUND! 
Thank you so much!