SPEAKER FOR THURSDAY, MAY 10

Our speaker for May 10 will be Dawn Hovey, recently appointed Executive Directer of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

WHAT IS CYSTIC FIBROSIS? CF affects the cells in your body that make mucus, sweat, and digestive fluids. Normally, these are very thin and slippery to keep systems in your body running smoothly. But if you have CF, they become thick and glue-like. This blocks tubes and ducts throughout your body.

Over time, mucus builds up inside your airways. This makes breathing a struggle. The mucus traps germs and leads to infections. It can also cause severe lung damage like cysts (fluid-filled sacs) and fibrosis (scar tissue). That’s how CF got its name.