STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE
_____
JOINT RESOLUTION DESIGNATING MAY 2025 AS CYSTIC
FIBROSIS AWARENESS MONTH IN MAINE
WHEREAS, cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease affecting nearly 70,000 children and adults
worldwide and approximately 30,000 children and adults in the United States, 268 of whom
live in Maine; and
WHEREAS, in cystic fibrosis, a defective gene causes the body to produce an abnormally
thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs, and these secretions produce life-threatening lung
infections and obstruct the pancreas, preventing digestive enzymes from reaching the intestines
to help break down and absorb food; and
WHEREAS, more than 10,000,000 Americans are symptomless carriers of the defective
cystic fibrosis gene, and cystic fibrosis occurs in approximately one of every 3,500 live births
in the United States; and
WHEREAS, the median age of survival for a person with cystic fibrosis is 41.1 years;
and
WHEREAS, with advances in the treatment of cystic fibrosis, the number of adults with
cystic fibrosis has steadily grown, and approximately 1,000 new cases of cystic fibrosis are
diagnosed each year; and
WHEREAS, nearly 50% of the cystic fibrosis population is 18 years of age and older, and
people with cystic fibrosis have a variety of symptoms attributed to the more than 1,800
mutations of the cystic fibrosis gene; and
WHEREAS, infant blood screening to detect genetic defects is the most reliable and least
costly method to identify persons likely to have cystic fibrosis; and
WHEREAS, early diagnosis of cystic fibrosis permits early treatment and enhances
quality of life and longevity, and the treatment of cystic fibrosis depends on the stage of the
disease and the organs involved; and
WHEREAS, clearing mucus from the lungs is an important part of the daily cystic fibrosis
treatment regimen, and other types of treatments include inhaled antibiotics and pancreatic
enzymes, among others; and
WHEREAS, there are 3 world-class treatment centers in Maine that specialize in the
diagnosis of cystic fibrosis and the care of persons with cystic fibrosis; and
WHEREAS, a critical component of treating patients with cystic fibrosis is access to
innovative medicines, which can play a crucial role in the lives of patients with cystic fibrosis;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED: That We, the Members of the One Hundred and Thirty-second Legislature
now assembled in the First Special Session, on behalf of the people we represent, take this
opportunity to designate May 2025 as "Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month" in Maine and to
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recognize that improving the length and quality of life for people with cystic fibrosis starts with
awareness.
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