9th – 13th May 2011: Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Week

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a serious genetic disorder which reduces life expectancy and is mainly common among Caucasian people.

• Around 8,500 people in the UK have CF, that's one in every 2,500 babies born.

• CF affects around 100,000 people around the world.

• In the 1980s life expectancy of people with cystic fibrosis could be limited to as little as 14 years.

Today the picture is very different and greatly improved. Over 90% of affected infants now survive beyond one year. Recent studies show that life expectancy of children will exceed 40 years. Life expectancy of individuals with adequate pancreatic function can be more than 50 years.
CF is a genetic condition. 1 person in 25 carries the CF gene usually without knowing - If two carriers have a baby, the child has a 1 in 4 chance of having Cystic Fibrosis.
There has been incredible progress in treating and understanding the condition. The UK Cystic Fibrosis Trust’s ground breaking gene therapy research is leading the world and making encouraging progress. They hope to be able to take the life-threatening aspect out of CF and clinical trials are underway.
At Pulse, we are fortunate to have specialist life underwriters who have responded to these advances in medical science by providing cover to include those with Cystic Fibrosis. Our underwriters will look at a number of factors including weight change, current lung function and severity of condition when assessing risk.
Pulse can help CF sufferers with:

• Mild / moderate disease with pulmonary function >70% of predicted level

• Able to work full time or if not working (e.g. housewife etc), then capable of performing normal daily activities

• No major acute exacerbation over the past 2 years

• Healthy BMI

Pulse cannot help CF sufferers who in addition have:

• Heart problem manifestations

• Kidney of liver problems

• Recent weight loss

• Smokers

This product is available to applicants outside of the UK and in various currencies, subject to Lloyd’s licensing agreements.

Pulse is a specialist company that has had success in arranging cover for applicants with Cystic Fibrosis. We cannot help in every case, but we will always do our best to obtain cover. If you have a client who has been declined life cover or experienced difficulties in obtaining the cover required, please contact us by calling 01280 841430 or emailing admin@pulse-insurance.co.uk or go to our website www.pulse-insurance.co.uk    We can tell you quickly if we think we can help.

Alternatively, you can complete our Cystic Fibrosis questionnaire questionnaires on our website. Completion of the questionnaire should enable us to say whether cover is available and if so to give an idea of cost within five working days of receiving the completed form. We will do all we can to assist.