The mission of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is to cure cystic fibrosis and to provide all people with CF the opportunity to lead long, fulfilling lives by funding research and drug development, partnering with the CF community, and advancing high-quality, specialized care.
Recognized globally, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has led the way in the fight against cystic fibrosis, fueling extraordinary medical and scientific progress. Working alongside the CF community, the CF Foundation has fostered the development of more than a dozen CF treatments – an unprecedented number in a short span of time – and helped add decades of life for people with CF. Despite this progress, many people with CF do not benefit from existing therapies. Many children and adults with CF still face the sobering prospect of a shortened lifespan.
Our vision is a cure for every person with cystic fibrosis and a life free from the burden of this disease. We will not leave anyone behind.
Genetic therapies – our best hope for curing cystic fibrosis – are more complex than anything we have ever done and will require a substantial investment. Progressing a genetic therapy could cost the CF Foundation 10 times more than the development of a novel therapy a decade ago.
Working alongside the CF community, the Foundation drives extraordinary results:
• MORE THAT DOUBLED THE LIFE EXPECTANCY of those living with CF over the past three decades by championing high-quality, specialized care and therapeutic progress.
• SUPPORTED INNOVATIVE RESEARCH that led to the discovery of the gene that causes cystic fibrosis in 1989. Fast forward 30+ years and in 2020 the Foundation held 101 meetings and engaged with 48 biotech companies in the U.S. and Europe to progress genetic-based therapies for all people with CF.
• PIONEERED THE USE OF VENTURE PHILANTHROPY a research funding model that as spurred the discovery of multiple breakthrough therapies that target the underlying cause of CF. The venture philanthropy model is admired and emulated by nonprofits everywhere for its astonishing capacity to drive results. Today, we are investing more than $225 million a year in CF research and care. This includes advancing our Path to a Cure, an ambitious research initiative that challenges leading researchers and drug developers to accelerate the pace of progress in CF.
• FOSTERED THE DEVELOPMENT OF MORE THAN A DOZEN CF TREATMENTS and added decades of life for those with CF. Currently, there are 40+ therapies in the drug development pipeline with potential to significantly improve the lives of those with CF.
• PROVIDED MORE THAN 4,000 GRANTS for CF research and care over the past six years; currently working with hundreds of scientists in 300+ labs across the country.
• ESTABLISHED A GLOBALLY RECOGNIZED CARE MODEL that includes 120+ accredited CF care centers to deliver high-quality, specialized care. Since 2014 the Foundation has increased funding for CF care by 120%. Today, we continue to evolve our care model to meet the emerging needs of people with CF as they live longer.
• SUPPORTS THE CF COMMUNITY at every step of their journey through Compass, a free service that helps CF families navigate insurance, financial, legal and other issues. Each year, Compass fields approximately 11,000 calls from CF community members.
• PARTNERED WITH THE CF COMMUNITY to continuously learn from and engage with those living with this disease, resulting in numerous programs that support people with CF no matter where they are on their journey. Today, thanks to the community, we have increased our community engagement efforts with approximately 1,000+ events nationwide and new community-driven programs that enhance quality of life – such as BreatheCon, CF Peer Connect, ROSE UP, and Community Voice.
• LAUNCHED THE THERAPEUTICS DEVELOPMENT NETWORK (TDN) as a model for research networks globally. Today, the TDN conducts 60+ clinical trials annually at 91 research centers, comprising the largest CF clinical trials network anywhere in the world. This network is the hub for advances in key areas of focus such as research on infections, advanced lung disease and nonsense and rare mutations.
Every one of us are an important part of CF progress.
With your support we are confident that one day, not one person will lose a child, sibling, parent, or friend to cystic fibrosis.
We have an opportunity in our lifetime to be part of ending this disease. Please consider joining us and help us make medical history.