Lisa Runco, executive director digestive disease and kidney services and cardiovascular services for Nebraska Medicine, was honored by the Nebraska Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation at its Breath of Hope event on Oct. 16. Runco received the Barry Zoob Breath of Life Award. In addition, the care team for the Nebraska Regional Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Center through UNMC and Children’s Hospital & Medical Center was recognized.
The center is the only Cystic Fibrosis Foundation accredited center in the region. It is one of the oldest cystic fibrosis centers in the country and was the first accredited center west of the Mississippi River. The Children's and UNMC clinics follow approximately 200 pediatric and adolescent cystic fibrosis patients annually. Children's pulmonologist John Colombo, M.D., is medical director of the Cystic Fibrosis Center.
The Nebraska Regional Cystic Fibrosis Center pediatric program ranks among the top 10 of 120 centers in the country for pulmonary function outcomes and among the top 15 percent in nutritional outcomes. This data is collected and reported by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
The center provides diagnosis and treatment for both inpatients and outpatients with pediatric cystic fibrosis utilizing a multidisciplinary approach of specialized care provided by pulmonologists, nutritionists, respiratory therapists, social workers, coordinators and research technologists. All staff, doctors and caregivers have extensive training and experience with cystic fibrosis in children. When appropriate, endocrinologists, gastroenterologists, ear, nose and throat and pediatric surgeons with expertise in cystic fibrosis are also consulted.