Cystic Fibrosis Event At UT Health Northeast

TYLER — Families and caregivers from across East Texas Saturday attended the regional Cystic Fibrosis Family Education Day on the campus of UT Health Northeast. The event included a keynote address by an adult Cystic Fibrosis (CF) patient, educational sessions on nutrition, clinic research trials, and quality improvement initiatives.

Since the 1950s, those diagnosed with CF have seen their life expectancies increase three to four times over thanks to research and new treatment options, according to a UT Health Northeast news release. Life expectancy for CF patients in the U.S. is the early 40s. With new medications on the horizon and the potential impact of gene therapy, medical professionals say the future is even more promising, but UT Health Northeast officials said education is key. �As the only CF Center in our region, we are pleased to lead this effort to support and educate the caregivers and family members of both children and adults with cystic fibrosis,� said Dr. Rodolfo Amaro-Galvez, pediatric pulmonologist and director of the UT Health Cystic Fibrosis Center.

�Thriving with Cystic Fibrosis, A Patient�s Perspective� was the topic of guest speaker Kristen McFall (pictured), who is an adult CF patient. McFall travels across the country, shares her personal experience with cystic fibrosis, and offers words of encouragement to patients and their family members. �I want to thank the CF Center and the team at UT Health Northeast that put this day together for giving me the opportunity to share my experience of living with cystic fibrosis. Hopefully, by sharing my experience and encouragement, parents and attendants can know that even those with a chronic illness like CF can live a full and rewarding life,� said McFall.

Although cystic fibrosis is not an infectious disease, people with CF are vulnerable to the bacteria of others with CF and should not be in close contact with one another, according to the news release. So officials with UT Health Northeast designed the event for caregivers and family members of CF patients.

According to The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, CF is a life-threatening, genetic disease that primarily affects the lungs and digestive system. It is found in about 30,000 people in the United States (70,000 worldwide). People with CF inherit a defective gene that causes a mucus buildup in the lungs, pancreas and other organs. The buildup in the lungs can make it very difficult to breathe. In the pancreas, the buildup of mucus prevents the release of digestive enzymes that help the body break down food and absorb important nutrients. People with CF often have malnutrition and poor growth. There is no cure for CF.

UT Health Northeast is accredited by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation as a CF Care Center. You can visit visit http://www.uthealth.org if you’re seeking treatment or more information on CF.