Two weeks away! And...where does the money go?

The final preparations are currently underway for our first fashion show!

Phew. This is exciting and exhausting work. 

In the final days, CF for CF consumes us. Kim is busy delegating and tying up all the loose ends, Nikki--our graphic designer--is working away on posters and the step and repeat wall. Many of the girls (there are simply too many to continue to name names here!) are gathering information for our program... and I am slowly (oh so slowly...) bringing the design together!

I also have a real-life example of how the money raised from the night will be used (it is all going directly to the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, otherwise known as the CCFF)

A good chunk of money distributed by the CCFF goes to research.  Currently I'm participating in a study at the world renowned Hospital for Sick Children that is looking at developing a new and improved sweat test.

Um... What is a Sweat Test?

Sweat tests collect the chloride in your sweat and are used to diagnose cystic fibrosis. Those with cystic fibrosis can have two to five times the normal amount of chloride in their sweat.

It's a relatively easy and painless test that has actually been modified since I was diagnosed.

The 'old' test (the one I would have done):
The technician rubs a solution on your arm, which stimulates your sweat glands, then places a wet gauze and copper plates over your arm, attached to electrodes. It feels a little tingly, but otherwise unremarkable. They also place a tiny needle beside the site (almost close to my elbow) to collect the sweat in a little tube. The information is then analyzed in a computer.

I asked the researcher why they didn't just stick us in a hot room and let us sweat naturally, and she said they did do this to babies before a proper test had been developed. Unfortunately, many would die because their bodies were unable to regulate their temperature after being in the hot room. I guess comparable to leaving your baby in a hot car... not generally a good idea.

The new test (which I believe has been used here for the past 10 or so years), is even easier than that and just involved little discs, gel, and electrodes. No needles! You can check it out here.

There is also this video example below, but I warn you... it it directly from the 90s:




The new test that they are exploring, looks at investigating the pH (acidity) in the sweat to see if there is a difference between healthy and CF patients. It also measures the electrical voltage of sweat glands, which could be just as accurate as the standard sweat test and possibly even easier and more practical.

Why is this important?

Well, for starters, scientists could use the sweat test as a tool to detect any changes in salt transportation when they are testing out new drugs. Improvements in salt transportation could indicate that the drug is doing it's job. A new sweat test that could detect subtle changes would help show scientists what drugs have potential.

Secondly, improved sweat tests make diagnosing CF even easier. And perhaps (and this is my assumption) the more sensitive the test, the more accurate it will be... which may be good news for those who have been given the result of a 'borderline' sweat test. A borderline sweat test means that your results are not normal, but not severe enough to be diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis... no one wants to be stuck in limbo!

And there you have it, just one example of one of the initiatives CF for CF will support.

TWO WEEKS TO GO!

- Lindsay