"I try to reassure everyone who has been affected by this disease that CF isn't the end of the world if you don't want it to be."
The experience of living with cystic fibrosis is markedly different today than it was decades ago. Thanks to the discovery of the CF gene, the availability of effective drug therapies and advances in technology, the 30,000 Americans who deal with the disease day in and day out are living longer and fuller lives. In a word, they are thriving.

There is a multitude of organizations working to support the cystic fibrosis community, as well as a variety of tools and information available to help people with CF not just live, but thrive.

New Book on Ironman Triathletes Highlights Athlete with CF

In You Are an Ironman: How Six Weekend Warriors Chased Their Dream of Finishing the World's Toughest Triathlon, bestselling author and New York Times reporter Jacques Steinberg strives to understand the drive six individuals feel to feverishly train and push themselves as hard as they can to be able to be able to complete the world's most formidable triathlon.

One of the triathletes profiled in the book is Scott Johnson, who has cystic fibrosis and received a double-lung transplant in 2001.

Here's a recent clip from NBC's "Today" featuring You Are an Ironman and an interview with Johnson:

Jerry Cahill also interviewed Johnson in September 2007 for a cystic fibrosis podcast. To listen to the podcast, please visit www.jerrycahill.com.

You Are an Ironman is available on Amazon.com.