The Patient's Perspective - a Column by Reid D'Amico

The CF community was delivered great news the other week: Vertex’s tezacaftor/ivacaftor combination treatment significantly increased lung function (ppFEV1) in patients 12 years or older with certain mutations of the CFTR gene (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator).F 508 For those who are new to, or not…

No matter how good I feel, there’s always a sense of anxiety and uncertainty when I walk into a routine CF clinic visit. Thoughts swarm my head as my name is called to walk back into the office: What if my PFTs are down? What if my blood tests…

Airports can be stressful. With the unpredictable delays, cancellations, and upsets of travel, it’s only natural to take some precautions before going on a business trip or vacation. However, preparing for travel becomes inherently more complicated when the traveler has a chronic illness like cystic fibrosis. I wish…

For the first time, we see that about 50% of people with cystic fibrosis (CF) are adults. While CF still may ring as a pediatric disease to those who have been familiar with CF for many years, we must adapt our mindset to accommodate the adult population. When I was…

By now, we’ve all heard that steps have been taken toward repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Even within my network of friends and family, I’ve heard mixed responses. There are those who detest the ACA, those who believe it should be protected, and those who think it should be…