Famous people with cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis is a very serious inherited condition marked by the severe lung impairment and deficiency of the most essential nutrients. In this disease, the cells that secrete mucus, digestive juices and sweat are affected so that they produce thick and sticky secretions. Thus, the ducts and passageways as well as the tubes are blocked by these thick secretions. The pancreas and the lungs are most affected by cystic fibrosis.

Symptoms of cystic fibrosis

When one suffers from cystic fibrosis, he/she has salty taste of the skin since the people with this disease have very high amounts of salt in the sweat. The most common respiratory system symptoms of cystic fibrosis are constant cough, wheezing and recurring lung and sinus infections. On the other side, the most common digestive system symptoms of cystic fibrosis are bad-smelling and greasy stools, constipation followed with abdominal distention and intestinal obstruction. Furthermore, the person with cystic fibrosis may experience poor weight gain and growth.

Famous people with cystic fibrosis

There are several people who are famous worldwide and who suffered or who still suffer from this disease.

Bill Williams was a famous programmer and game designer. He was famous for designing Atari games, Amiga games and Nintendo Entertainment System’s Monopoly. Unfortunately, he suffered from this disease his whole life and died in 1998. Another famous person who has cystic fibrosis is a Canadian athlete, Lisa Bentley. She participated in the long-distance triathlon races and is among the most talented triathelets of all times. She was born in 1968 and she discovered cystic fibrosis when she reached 20 years of age. Bon Flanagan also suffered from this serious disease from which he died at the age of 43. Bon Flanagan is famous for his poetry and music, especially for his controversial song entitled “Happiness in slavery” as well as for his many humorous songs. Alice Martineau died in 2003 fro cystic fibrosis but this disease did not stopped her to become a famous pop singer and songwriter not only in England but worldwide also. Gregory Jean-Paul Lemarchal was a famous French singer who was born in 1983 but unfortunately died from cystitis fibrosis in 2007.

Even thought they suffered from this life-threatening disease, none of these famous people let it destroy their whole lives, but they pursued their dreams. Because of that they have so many admirers even now when they are not alive any more.