Information and links about living with Cystic Fibrosis
The AREST CF project focuses on the assessment, treatment and prevention of CF lung disease in children.
It targets disease prevention commencing at diagnosis in children with CF identified by newborn screening.
The driving force behind this research is to significantly extend the age at which CF patients begin to experience failing lung health.
The AREST CF program has grown from an early surveillance program initiated in Perth in 1999 that involved obtaining bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) to evaluate pulmonary (lung) infection and inflammation and infant lung function testing.
The program was extended to include measurement of preschool lung function in 2003 and chest computed tomography (CT) scanning in 2005.
The Royal Childrens Hospital based in Melbourne joined the program in 2005 and we have been successfully operating as a single entity since.
The current program consists of a core platform, containing both routine clinical and research aspects, and additional research studies. Children are assessed at various times, including: annual surveillance assessment; at routine clinic attendances; on hospitalisation for respiratory exacerbations; and following treatment to eradicate pulmonary infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Video: Living with childhood cystic fibrosis
What would you discover to help a child? Meet Sarah
At just 12 years of age, Sarah has already had a lung transplant. Born with cystic fibrosis, she needs to take 50 tablets a day to help her digest food and has diabetes too.
video: cystic fibrosis researcher
Meet Steve Stick
What would you discover to help a child? Meet Steve Stick
Paediatrician and cystic fibrosis researcher Professor Steve Stick says people with CF die too young, something we need to fix. His team is discovering new treatments to prevent lung disease, improve quality of life and extend the life of people with CF.
The Australian Respiratory Early Surveillance Team or AREST CF, based at the Telethon Kids Institute, has been short-listed for the 2015 Scopus Eureka Prize for Excellence in International Scientific Collaboration.
Cystic fibrosis on 7 News
Cystic fibrosis on 7 News
Our Director Professor Jonathan Carapetis is a guest reporter for 7 News in this video, which features our cystic fibrosis research.
AREST CF stands for Australian Respiratory Early Surveillance Team for Cystic Fibrosis. We have the head and shoulders of a young child and we use the f as our airway to highlight breathing difficulties that people with CF have. The red stop sign represents our desire to stop lung disease early in life so that children will grow up to lead happy healthy lifes.