Like most parents, Drew and Lauren anticipated the birth of their first child with excitement and joy. Born Sept. 29, 2009, Brynn appeared to be a healthy baby girl, with little to suggest that she had what would be identified three weeks later as cystic fibrosis (CF).

Cystic fibrosis is a fatal inherited disease that causes a build up of thick mucus in the body, affecting mainly the lungs and digestive system. One in 25 Canadians carries a defective version of the gene responsible for CF; when two carriers have a child there is a 25% chance the child will be born with CF.

Fortunately, Brynn was diagnosed through the Ontario Newborn Screening Program, which only recently added CF to the list of diseases screened, thanks to advocacy by the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CCFF). Early diagnosis and treatment of CF has been shown to reduce hospitalizations; increase longevity; improve height, weight and lung function; and provide a better start in life. It also avoids months, sometimes years, of anguish for parents like Drew and Lauren who wouldn't otherwise know the cause of their child's failure to thrive.

In addition to being an advocate for Canadians with CF, the CCFF also supports the development of new therapies and funds research towards the goal of a cure for CF.

Thanks to the support of the OPS through the Federated Health Campaign, the CCFF is able to improve the lives of children like Brynn, and provide her parents with hope that CF will one day stand for "cure found".