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Hi! My name is Norma Kennedy Plourde, and I live in Baker Lake, New Brunswick, Canada. I happen to have Cystic Fibrosis. My CF affects mostly my lungs and my digestive system. I get frequent respiratory infections, so I take antibiotics a lot, and my pancreas doesn't secrete enzymes, so I take pancreatic enzymes, plus a lot of other medications.

I also happen to have Rheumatoid Arthritis. I am a 45 y.o. woman, have been married for 25 years, and am fortunate enough to have a beautiful, healthy 23 year old daughter without CF. I am a Registered Nurse, and worked in a hospital setting for 9 years, but no longer work due to my illnesses.

I would like to educate and inform as many people as I can about CF. It is a genetic disease that affects approximately 3,000 people in Canada, and 30,000 in the US, plus many more throughout the world. It is a disease that affects the exogenous secreting glands of the body, and generates thickened secretions, therefore blocking proper functioning of certain organs.

The organs most affected are the lungs and pancreas, therefore affecting breathing and digestion, but certain other organs are affected also. There is no cure as of yet, but we hope there soon will be. Research is ongoing, and great strides are being made!

Whereas 30 years ago, not many people with CF lived past childhood, nowadays many can live into their 30's or more. Unfortunately, many people with CF are still dying way too early. Please support CF research...that is our only hope.

I hope that this site will helped you to learn more about CF.

http://www.cysticfibrosisinformation.org.uk.tc

See my site:

http://www3.nbnet.nb.ca/normap/CF.htm