Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease of the secretory glands. This includes the glands that make mucus and sweat, as these are affected most. Sadly, Cystic fibrosis (also referred to a CF) is passed through a gene from parents to their children. Those that get CF have an unhealthy gene from each parent; most often, the parents are not even aware of this. CF is quite a devastating disease that greatly affects all areas of the sufferer’s life. This includes feeding, dressing, elimination and most prevalent breathing. If you know someone that suffers from cystic fibrosis, you may suggest to him or her, Canada’s Disability Tax Credit. They may as well be interested in the other benefits that the Canadian government offers.
As mentioned prior, cystic fibrosis (CF) is inherited and passed from parents to children, mostly unknowingly. Simply put, a defect in the CFTR gene is what causes cystic fibrosis. This gene is important and controls the movement of salt and water in and out of your body’s cells. When people have CF, the gene makes a protein that does not work right. This is what causes the thick sticky mucus as well as very salty sweat. There is discussion that the CFTR protein affects the body in other ways as well. This will definitely explain all of the other related complications that CF sufferers have. Over a thousand known defects can affect the CFTR gene. Which one of these you have will determine the extent and severity of your form of CF.
Cystic fibrosis mainly affects the liver, intestines, lungs, pancreas, sinuses and the sex organs. In our body, some of our body tissues make mucus, which is very helpful to the rest of our body. Normally mucus is a very watery and slippery substance. It really does work wonders by keeping the linings of certain organs moist and helps them to not get affected. When you have CF, your mucus becomes very sticky and thick and over time, it builds up in your lungs and blocks your airways. This causes lots of problems and many different body functions are affected by this. Most of the other symptoms happen over time and are usually evident later. Some of these are:
- Infections that block the airway and cause frequent coughing
- Frequent bouts of pneumonia, bronchitis and other similar conditions
- Foul smelling greasy stools
- Severe constipation
- Liver diseases
Cystic fibrosis is not a very pleasant disease and one where the effects will worsen over time. At the present time there I no known cure for CF, yet there is constantly research being done to help find a cure. This is also done to aid the current sufferers with CF to live a healthier and longer life. The age expectancy for those with cystic fibrosis is averaging in the 40s now, whereas 20 years ago many sufferers did not make it to adulthood.
Disability Tax Credits for Cystic Fibrosis
As with any disease, much support is needed and you or your loved one may qualify for the Disability Tax Credit under various different categories, including feeding and elimination (bowel and bladder functions), walking, and dressing. It would be a good idea to contact HandyTax today and they discuss the Disability Tax Credit from the Canadian government and show you how they can help.