There are approximately 1,200 people living with cystic fibrosis in Ireland today and Ireland has the highest incidence of cystic fibrosis per head of population in the world, with three times the rate of the United States and the rest of the European Union. Indeed, in Ireland we have some of the most severe types of cystic fibrosis.
"How do I feel when my life stands still?"
Mary Duff has been an ambassador for Cystic Fibrosis Ireland for a number of years and leads its annual international walk which will take place in Montenegro later this September.
"Cystic fibrosis really is a cause close to my heart. In my ambassador role for Cystic Fibrosis Ireland, I have made friends with so many people who know first-hand the day-to-day struggles of people with cystic fibrosis and how it can be a never-ending cycle of medications, antibiotics, nebulisers, physiotherapy and hospital visits. With this song, we wanted to get across that while, for most of us, breathing is something that we can thankfully take for granted, for a person with cystic fibrosis, it can be such a huge challenge. The song, which was originally written by a group of people in the UK with connections to people with cystic fibrosis, aims to give an insight into what that life is like.
"We need to do all that we can to support people with cystic fibrosis by raising awareness, providing support and investing in research so that life doesn't always have to be this way. I hope that people will like the song enough that they will want to purchase it but, more than that, I hope that they will want to buy it because they want to lend their support to a very worthy cause."
I'm continuing my nationwide Irish tour during September. Come on out to hear the new single!
Upcoming dates include:
Wednesday September 9: Harvey's Point, Donegal
Thursday September 10: The Ramor Theatre, Virginia, Co. Cavan
Saturday September 12: Castlelyons Community Centre, Castlelyons, Co. Cork
Sunday September 13: The Gleneagles Hotel, Killarney, Co. Kerry
Wednesday September 16: Harvey's Point, Donegal
Friday September 18: The Dominican Church, Drogheda, Co. Louth
For more information on the work of Cystic Fibrosis Ireland and the supports available to people with cystic fibrosis and their families, please visit www.cfireland.ie or telephone LoCall 1890 311 211.
Nuala McAuley, Cystic Fibrosis Ireland, tel.: 01 4962433 or email nmcauley@cfireland.ie
Don Delaney, d2 communications, tel.: 087 7933249 or email don@d2communications.ie
About Cystic Fibrosis Ireland
Cystic Fibrosis Ireland is the leading national organisation dedicated to improving the quality of life of people with cystic fibrosis and their families across Ireland. It does this through providing information, advice and advocacy to people and their families, offering grant assistance, undertaking research, funding state-of-the-art dedicated cystic fibrosis health facilities, and advancing the development of lung transplantation in Ireland. There are approximately 1,200 people with cystic fibrosis living in Ireland and approximately 35 new cases were diagnosed in 2013, the most recent year for which official figures are available.
What is cystic fibrosis?
Cystic Fibrosis—or CF—is Ireland’s most common life-threatening inherited disease. CF is a genetic disorder. It is not contagious, rather people are born with it. Approximately 1 in 19 people are carriers of the CF gene and when two carriers have a child there is a one in four chance of a child being born with it. CF affects the glands, damaging many organs including the lungs, pancreas, digestive tract and reproductive system. It causes thick sticky mucus to be produced, blocking the bronchial tubes and preventing the body's natural enzymes from digesting food. Ireland has the highest prevalence and the most severe types of cystic fibrosis in the world.
