Spectrum Winter 2020

CEO’s Message

Welcome to the Winter edition of Spectrum.

COVID-19 has been with us for nine months now and I know that the CF community in Ireland remains anxious about the pandemic

However, there is considerable hope on the horizon with the recent announcement of possible vaccines. The general decline in new cases since the commencement of the second wave of COVID-19 also offers growing hope. CFI continues to urge the Government to ‘keep the foot on the pedal’ and to see us all through to a much brighter 2021.

CFI welcomes the very positive feedback from our members on the PPE grant and the increased funding for the exercise grants provided by CFI in 2020. I know our services unit led by Samantha Byrne will continue to provide support when needed and we hope to develop further well-being initiatives in the new year.

The roll out of the ground-breaking drug therapy Kaftrio formally commenced on October 15th 2020. You can read updates on Kaftrio in the Latest News and Spotlight features of this issue.

Fundraising will remain a challenge in 2021 and we ask all who support the cause of CF to once again help us out next year. It will be great when our community events are fully up and running again and we can renew friendships with old friends and welcome new friends and supporters, including at future annual conferences.

Finally, a very warm welcome to Keith McCabe our new chairperson who is featured in this Spectrum and indeed to all our fine officers, branch members, supporters and CF clinical teams working hard for your care.

Take care and stay safe over the Christmas period, love from all of us in CFI.

Philip Watt, CEO, CFI

Nuala McAuley & Samantha Byrne, Editors