GAZA STRIP

Cystic Fibrosis Friends Center has been established since 2008 to provide comprehensive health and medical services for all cystic fibrosis (CF) patients in all governorates in Gaza strip. An idea of establishing of the center was being originated, because of the nature and the severity of the disease from one side and the nature of institutional and home-based care which should be provided for the CF. CF is a genetic and a chronic disease which affects a group of vital and important systems of body. Those systems are necessary not only for growth and development of person, but also for life saving such as respiratory, digestive, reproductive systems, and Exocrine glands. CF patients complain of recurrent chest infections since birth which lead to fibrosis of lung tissue and thus pulmonary failure which results in premature death. Also the CF patients complain of mal-absorption of essential nutrition components which are necessary for growth and development children. The mal-absorption is attributed for recurrent diarrhea which results from the fibrosis of the ducts of the digestive enzymes. This leads to growth retardation and development delay of the children. This is also associated with other malnutrition problems such as vitamins deficiency (A,D,E and k) which results in mental impairment, Rickets , Bone deformities, and Blood diathesis which leads to bleeding and death. The CF patients also suffer from other health problems related to CF disease such as hepato-bilaiary tree disorders which leads to hepatic fibrosis and splenomegaly. Upper respiratory tract infections, for example the sinusitis, and the otitis media, are common among the CF patients. Different types of osteomyelitis and arthritis could be manifested among the CF patients. Various types of cutaneous disorders are also found. The most character of the CF disease is the premature death of patients especially who do not receive an appropriate and necessary health care.
It was necessary to think in helping those patients to find the light in front of them and live a decent life, such as other healthy peers and engage in their normal lives and grow up and integrate into their playing and studying, work and achieve their dreams and the dreams of their families, So that the idea of establishing the Cystic Fibrosis Friends Center was emerged with a slogan:
LET US LIVE WITH CAREFUL
ATTENTION LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE