Why Cystic Fibrosis?

I chose the Cystic Fibrosis Trust as my charity because of my colleague and friend, Richard McGowan.

Several months ago, Richard was diagnosed with terminal cancer. At the time, I told Richard I wanted to do something to support him, but Richard insisted: “Please don’t do anything for me; I would prefer that you did something for my daughter”. Richard’s daughter is 11 years old and suffers from Cystic Fibrosis. Richard’s courage and selflessness has not only inspired me to train for the London Marathon again, but to make sure as many people as possible are aware of my fundraising efforts and such a debilitating disease, through this website.

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is the UK’s most common life-threatening inherited disease. Over two million people in the UK carry the faulty gene that causes Cystic Fibrosis - around 1 in 25 of the population. Cystic Fibrosis affects the internal organs, especially the lungs and digestive system, by clogging them with thick sticky mucus. This makes it hard to breathe and digest food.

When the CF Trust was founded in 1964, life expectancy was just five years. Average life expectancy is now around 31 years, although improvements in treatments mean a baby born today could expect to live for longer. Through research, better understanding and treatment of Cystic Fibrosis, life expectancy is increasing.

However, there is still no cure.

The Cystic Fibrosis Trust is the UK’s only national charity dedicated to all aspects of Cystic Fibrosis. The CF Trust invests in medical research to treat the symptoms of CF and to find an effective treatment by correcting the basic genetic defect. The CF Trust also provides information, advice and support to families affected by Cystic Fibrosis and aims to ensure that people with CF receive appropriate healthcare.

Please visit http://www.cftrust.org.uk/ for more information.