Christina Jenkins

 We are walking in the CF walk on may 20, if you would like to join Haylen’s team the link is below.

As most of you know Haylen was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis just 7 days after she was born. She’s now 2 years old and her daily treatments consist of daily vest therapy and enzymes a with food, a multivitamin and salt throughout the day.

Cystic fibrosis is a progressive, genetic disease that causes long-lasting lung infections and limits the ability to breathe over time.

More than 30,000 children and adults in the United States have CF 70,000 worldwide.

In people with CF, mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene cause the CFTR protein to become dysfunctional. When the protein is not working correctly, it’s unable to help move chloride -- a component of salt -- to the cell surface. Without the chloride to attract water to the cell surface, the mucus in various organs becomes thick and sticky.

In the lungs, the mucus clogs the airways and traps germs, like bacteria, leading to infections, inflammation, respiratory failure, and other complications. For this reason, avoiding germs is a top concern for people with CF.

In the pancreas, the buildup of mucus prevents the release of digestive enzymes that help the body absorb food and key nutrients, resulting in malnutrition and poor growth. In the liver, the thick mucus can block the bile duct, causing liver disease. In men, CF can affect their ability to have children.

Today, because of improved medical treatments and care, more than half of people with CF are age 18 or older. Many people with CF can expect to live healthy, fulfilling lives into their 30s, 40s, and beyond. (Copied from the CF foundation website)

If you are interested in joining our team and walking with Haylen on May 21st, please click the link below to register! Donations are greatly appreciated but not expected!