By Mike Renzella
The Haldimand Press
HALDIMAND—A 40-year old resident of rural Haldimand, who we are calling Melanie under the condition of anonymity, is one of hundreds of advocates who have joined the CF Get Loud grassroots movement online to push the government to grant access to a ‘miracle drug’ called Trikafta, which is already available in other parts of the world.
According to Cystic Fibrosis Canada, research published in the Journal of Cystic Fibrosis shows that widespread access to Trikafta would have a profound impact on treating the disease. It is estimated that by 2030 it could reduce the number of people living with severe lung disease by 60% and reduce deaths by up to 15%. The study also indicated that the use of the drug leads to a significantly slower disease progression, with 19% fewer hospitalizations related to CF-related lung problems, while increasing the life span of a child born with CF by an additional 9.2 years.