Tilly is just 4 years old and has Cystic Fibrosis (CF) I am her Teaching Assistant at her Primary School and want to raise awareness of how this affects the daily life of the beautiful, kind little girl that I have the pleasure to know.....

CF is a chronic genetic disease that effects most of the bodies organs (especially the lungs and the pancreas) by clogging up the organs with thick sticky mucus. The build up of mucus in the lungs causes chronic infections, meaning that Tilly struggles with reduced lung function and has to spend hours doing physiotherapy and taking nebulised treatments every day.
Exacerbations can lead to frequent hospitalisation for weeks at a time! Tilly had her first hospital admission in December 2016 as she grew a harmful bug (Pseudomonas) in her lungs.
Tilly has to take medication roughly 23 times a day and has physio every morning and every evening (this will increase with age) and that's just to stay well.
Tilly's parents currently use the percussion method of physio (as well as other forms of daily physio) by cupping their hands and banging on her back, chest & sides. There is a physio vest that does this, which will make things so much easier as she grows and gets older. It vibrates and helps shift the mucus off her lungs. The vests are around £8000 and they are hoping to raise enough to purchase one by the time she is 10/11 years old. Tilly will also need to pay for her medication once she's 16 (shocking!) so any money raised will also help her towards her future!
Life expectancy for people with CF is only 43 - Many will end up needing a double lung transplant - so organ donation is something to think about if you haven't already!

One day we really hope the CF means Cure Found!

#TeamTilly