Nassau County Legis. Dave Denenberg (D-Merrick), in conjunction with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Sanford H. Calhoun High School and local residents, announce today they are working together to promote May as “Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month.”
Cystic fibrosis, which affects 30,000 children and adults in the United States and 70,000 people worldwide, is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system. A defective gene and its protein product cause the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections. The median predicted age of survival is in the mid-30s.
Every May, across the nation, volunteers, people with cystic fibrosis and their families come together to bring awareness of the disease, the progress being made towards a cure and let people know how they can help. New therapies and specialized care enable people with cystic fibrosis to gain greater control over their disease, allowing them to live longer, better quality lives.
“Although there have been many advances in treating cystic fibrosis, there is no cure yet,” said Legis. Denenberg. “I hope to spread awareness of this disease and bring hope for a cure to those people and families affected by it.”
WHEN: Friday, May 17, 2013 at 11:45 a.m.
WHERE: Sanford H. Calhoun High School, 1786 State Street, Merrick
