Treatment programs are tailored to individual needs and depend upon the stage of the disease and which organs are affected. Treatments followed at home generally include:

• tapping or "clapping" the chest and the back vigorously (percussion) or PEP (positive expiratory pressure) Mask Therapy to help loosen the mucus which clogs the lungs;
• taking pancreatic enzymes with all meals, to aid digestion;
• taking nutritional supplements and vitamins to promote good nutrition;
• taking antibiotics in pill or inhaled form, to ease congestion and protect against and fight lung infection;
• exercise.

The Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation gives supplementary funding to CF clinics across Canada. These clinics provide specialized care for individuals with cystic fibrosis. Across Canada, there are 37 clinics where a team of doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, dieticians, pharmacists and social workers offer specialized care for children, adults or both. The four BC clinics are listed below:

Transplant Centre:

British Columbia is in crisis when it comes to the availability of organ donors.  The list of CF patients desperately awaiting a transplant continues to grow.  CF candidates for heart-lung or double lung transplantation are referred to the transplant program by their CF clinic director or physician:

British Columbia Transplant Society

3rd Floor, West Tower 

555 West 12th Avenue

Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 3X7

Web site: www.transplant.bc.ca/index.htm

Telephone:    (604) 877-2240

Toll-free:       (800) 663-6189

Fax:              (604) 877-2111

Surgeon: Dr. Guy Fradet

Lung Transplant Coordinator: Carol Storseth

E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Genetic Counselling:

Genetic counselling and testing are available on referral through a family physician or CF clinic physicians.  There is no cost to the individual for this service.  The laboratory in British Columbia, which performs genetic testing for CF, is as follows:

    Department of Medical Genetics

    University of British Columbia

    4500 Oak Street, Room C234

    Vancouver, British Columbia V6H 3N1

    Telephone: (604) 875-2157

Genetic counselling is also available in Victoria on a referral basis. (Samples are sent to the laboratory at UBC.)