FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - Just three decades ago, the life expectancy for somebody with cystic fibrosis was about 30 years.  But thanks to advancements in treatment and better resource centers, people are living longer. The life expectancy is now extended to about 50 years, and that’s why the first UCSF, Fresno Cystic Fibrosis Family Education Day event is so important. Click here for more MedWatch Today Click here for Community Medical Centers' homepage It's an opportunity for anybody in the community to be introduced to the only adult cystic fibrosis, or “CF”, center in the valley and learn about all the advancements in treatment. People like Abigail Treadway say it’s a game changer. “If I didn't have doctors who were experts, a care team that were experts on all of my specific needs, I would have to explain myself to other doctors, and I don't have to do that at a CF clinic,” she said. Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder that causes secretions in the lungs, digestive tract, and other areas of the body, which can lead to infections and difficulty breathing.  Doctor Paul Do is the director of the UCSF, Fresno Cystic Fibrosis Center and says this center is an indication of how healthcare is evolving to meet the changing landscape. “We see both pediatric and adult patients. We're the only center that sees adult patients in the Central Valley,” he said. “CF used to be a disease of children. Now it is becoming a disease of adults because people are living longer. So there’s going to be an explosion of adult patients with CF and we need to be ready to cater that demand in the valley." These patients can now find support through experts like doctor Anil Ghimire, associate director at the Cystic Fibrosis Center. “So we have the adult CF center in the valley and we are the only one in the valley that provides that adult care,” he said. “Having a multidisciplinary team is very important for the patients because they get to have all the care in one single visit. It addresses multiple dimensions of a single disease. So we have this multiple specialty subspecialty.” And for people like Abigail Treadway, it not only means better care and improved convenience, but it has changed her entire outlook on life. “I struggled a lot, but being able to see the change in how it’s become easier to be healthy as a person with cystic fibrosis is so encouraging. Now, I have plans for my future. And I didn't always feel prepared with those plans. I didn't always feel that I had very many options. And now the world is my oyster.”