Thursday, October 1, 2026
John “JJ” Byrne has Cystic Fibrosis. On Oct. 20, JJ spoke to the members of the student government about his challenges living with CF.
The Syosset High School student government has been holding a telethon every year to raise money for research. Ilene Zelniker from the CF Foundation is their team leader, and helps them organize. They have raised thousands of dollars to find a cure.
CF is a genetic disease that affects a person’s glands, producing mucus that becomes thick and sticky. Where most people can cough and clear congestion a person with CF cannot. The mucus can buildup blocking airways to the lungs and can breed bacteria leading to infection. It can keep enzymes from reaching the digestive tract, leading to a loss of nutrients.
Everyone has a gene called CFTR that controls the balance of salt and water in your body. You receive one copy of the gene from each of your parents. If both parents have broken copies of the gene, you develop CF. About 30,000 Americans have the disease, and it can affect boys and girls equally. Newborn children in the US are screened for CF.
There is no cure but there are treatments. There are devices to help with breathing and clearing the mucus from your chest and drugs that thin or clear the mucus.
