The mission of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, a nonprofit donor-supported organization, is to assure the development of the means to cure and control cystic fibrosis and to improve the quality of life for those with the disease.
The Foundation is the leading organization in the United States devoted to cystic fibrosis. It has more than 80 chapters and branch offices nationwide and funds and accredits 115 CF care centers across the country, including 94 adult care programs, which provide patients and families with vital treatment and other CF resources. In addition, 54 affiliate programs provide multi-disciplinary care for CF with Foundation support.
The Foundation is one of the most efficient organizations of its kind. In 2006, nearly 90% of every dollar of revenue raised was available for investment in CF research, care and education programs. The National Institutes of Health and many prominent publications, including Forbes and USAToday, have heralded our innovative business model, which fuels drug discovery and development programs.
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Is…Hope in Action
Video courtesy of Katherine Saxon and FurlaVision
Until we conquer this disease, our team will work tirelessly to extend and enhance life for those with cystic fibrosis by functioning as:
- Scientific pioneers, blazing new trails in CF research;
- Fund-raisers, securing the money needed to support our efforts;
- Advocates, keeping CF a top priority in government, industry and research;
- Investors, funding drug discovery and development;
- Caregivers, linking patients and families to specialized CF care; and
- Family, offering support, information and resources.
- When the Foundation was established in 1955, children with CF were not expected to live long enough to attend elementary school. Due in large part to the Foundation's aggressive investments in innovative research and comprehensive care, the predicted median survival age for people with this disease is now 37 years.
- In 1989, CF Foundation-supported scientists discovered the defective gene that causes cystic fibrosis—a monumental breakthrough on the road to a cure.
- The Foundation has played an integral role in the development and FDA approval of four therapies that are now a routine part of treatment regimens for many with CF. The Foundation is actively supporting nearly 30 potential new treatments currently in development—that's more than in the entire history of the disease. Our challenge is to find enough patients to join clinical trials to keep the research moving forward.
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