The First Decade (plus 1): 1959-1969

 

1959

·                      Life expectancy at birth approximately four years

·                      Meeting at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario,for parents and others interested in CF unanimously endorses motion to create the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (23 May).

·                      Creation of Candid Facts, the Foundation's newsletter (16 June)

 

1960

·                     CCFF incorporated by Letters Patent (15 July); Foundation has four chapters (Toronto, Hamilton, Kingston, London).

 

1961

·                      Establishment of summer student program.

 

1962

• CCFF awards first research grant to Dr. Morley Lertzman of Winnipeg Children's Hospital and Dr. Victor Marchessault of Montreal Children's Hospital.

 1963

·                      Establishment of the Breath of Life Award.

 

1964

·                      District 8 Kinsmen adopt the CF cause.

·                      Inaugural Shinerama campaign: 1964 proceeds $9,318.

·                      Establishment of the International CF Association (16 June).

·                      Creation of the Volunteer Service Award.

 

1965

·                      Establishment of a comprehensive and forward-looking clinical and research programme.

·                      Introduction of home-care seminars by Mrs. Freda Vickery.

 

1967

·                      Registration of "Breath of Life^®" slogan.

·                      First poster child contest.

 

1969

·                      First CF clinic for adults opens at Royal Edward Chest Hospital in Montreal

 

The Second Decade: 1970-1979

 

1970

·                      Establishment of Fellowship programme, 1970-1971

·                      Creation of the Summerhayes Award: first recipient Maureen McChesney

 

1971

·                      Kin District 1 join CF cause

 

1972

·                      Establishment of National Communication and Merit awards

 

1973

·                      Kin Districts 2, 4, 6 and 7 join CF cause

·                      CCFF adopts new logo

 

1974

·                      Creation of Kinsmen CF Research Centre at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto

·                      Management study, funded by Charles H. Ivey Foundation, results in reorganization of CCFF (1974 –1975)

·                      Median age of survival of an individual with CF in Canada is 24 years.

 

1975-1976

·                      New Year's Telethon on CFTO-TV (Toronto) raises $651,000

 

1976

·                      CCFF sponsors first of what would become known as "Broken Arrow" medical conferences

 

1978

·                      Research and clinical grants budget for l978-1979 exceeds $1 million for first time

 

1979

·                      Shinerama has raised over $2 million since 1964.

·                      Approximately 13% of CF patients registered at Canadian clinics are adults.

 

The Third Decade: 1980-1989

 

1980

·                      Kin Districts 3 and 5 adopt CF cause.

·                      Reflecting growing commitment to basic and applied scientific research, Medical Advisory Committee is re-designated Medical/Scientific Advisory Committee, 1980-1981.

 

1981

·                      Concerned parents in Quebec form the Quebec Cystic Fibrosis Association, a provincial association of the CCFF: a significant increase in CF revenues in the province follow.

 

1982

·                      Vickers & Benson advertising agency assists in giving CCFF "a new look".

·                      Creation of Commentary, a newsletter for exchange of information relevant to Chapter programmes.

·                      Céline Dion becomes the "Marraine" of the Quebec Association.

 

1984

·                      Hagood Hardy serves as Honorary Chairman of CCFF.

·                      Task Force to Address the Needs of Adults with CF formed.

 

1985

·                      Mrs. Mila Mulroney becomes CCFF Honorary Chairperson.

·                      Zellers raises $80,000 for CF, and offers future commitment.

·                      Introduction of LUAC - Zellers Santa Sock campaign.

·                     65 Roses Sports Club^® established by Toronto Blue Jays and Montreal Expos, soon followed by several CFL and NHL clubs.

 

1986

·                      Establishment of Research Development Programme in CF Genetics / Gene Expression (RDP I), based in Toronto.

·                      Cumulative Kin contributions pass $10 million mark.

·                      "Match of Champions" organized by Mrs. Mila Mulroney raises $1.5 million.

·                      First Zellers Moonwalk raises $434,000.

 

1987

·                      CF adopted as National Service Project by all eight Kin districts.

·                      1st North American CF Conference, co-hosted by the CCFF, in Toronto, Ontario.

 

1988

·                      Launch of Research Development Programme focused on Lung Infection in CF (RDP II), based in Calgary, Alberta.

·                      Larry Weisgerber becomes world's first person with CF to have successful double lung transplant.

·                      First Canada-wide conference of adults with CF (May).

·                      Knowlton Nash and Lorraine Thomson become "Friends of the CCFF".

 

1989

·                      Discovery of the gene responsible for CF, by Drs. Lap-Chee Tsui and Jack Riordan of The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario, and Dr. Francis Collins of the University of Michigan (August).

·                      Shinerama has raised more than $6 million since l964.

·                      "65 Roses: A Gift of Love" gala, organized by Mrs. Mila Mulroney, raises $500,000 for CCFF.

·                     CCFF gains its 54th Chapter, Sunshine Coast.

 

The Fourth Decade: 1990-1999

 

1990

·                      RDP I researchers correct the CF defect under laboratory conditions.

·                      Researchers identify precise cells in the body that are affected by CF. Identifying target cells for treatment is vital to developing effective drug or genetic therapies for CF.

 

1991

·                      Over 30% of patients registered at Canadian CF clinics are now adults.

 

1992

·                      Cindy and Allegra Jones appear in the CCFF national publicity and promotion campaign.

 

1993

·                      Céline Dion expands her role in the CF community by accepting the position of celebrity patron for the CCFF.

·                      Launch of RDP III: Beyond the Gene – From Theory to Therapy.

 

1994

·                      Céline Dion and Chanelle Lemieux Lecavalier appear in the CCFF national publicity and promotion campaign.

·                      Shinerama marks 30 years.

 

1995

·                      Launch of CCFF Web site with the assistance of Dalhousie University.

·                      First competition for CCFF Transplant Centre Incentive Grants.

·                      Through RDP III, Dr. Christine Bear and other investigators demonstrate, in the CF mouse model, that protein replacement may be a viable treatment for CF.

 

1996

·                      The CCFF plays a key role in the creation and ongoing support of the International Burkholderia cepacia Working Group.

·                      Launch of the Special Programme in Applied Research and Therapy (SPARX) designed to accelerate the advent of new therapy

·                      Establishment of the Clinical Studies Network (CSN)

 

1997

·                      Kin reach $25 million in donations to CF cause.

·                      Detailed criteria to define CF as a severe disability are determined for the purposes of gaining the Disability Tax Credit.

·                      Median age of survival for individuals with CF in Canada reaches over 32 years.

·                      41% of the CF population are now adults.

·                      "Cost-effective Drug Utilization in Cystic Fibrosis" is released for use by clinics in all provinces to help lobby government about medication coverage.

·                      With the help of Céline Dion, Royal Airlines joins the fight against CF.

 

1998

·                      The CCFF and Zellers are awarded the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy's Imagine "New Spirit of the Community" Partnership Award.

·                      Dr. Larry Lands heads the ambitious multi-centred clinical trials for ibuprofen.

·                      10th Broken Arrow Conference "Developing New Therapies for CF".

·                      Completion of "Standards of Care," standards and guidelines for CF clinical care across the country.

·                      Céline Dion benefit concert grosses $1 million for CF research.

·                      CCFF co-hosts the 12th North American CF Conference in Montreal, Quebec.

·                      There are 36 CF Clinics and 5 lung transplant centres across Canada.

·                      CCFF launches a planned giving programme.

 

1999

·                      CCFF & Kin celebrate 35 years of partnership.

·                      David Clarke receives the first Zellers Senior Scientist Award.

·                      Investigators with SPARX form an alliance with industry to bring dextran (a compound which has been shown to thin mucus from the lungs enhancing clearance, and to combat lung infection) to clinical trials.