Background: Previously, Cystic Fibrosis (CF) patients faced a limited life expectancy, but significant medical advances now highlight the need for successful transition programs from pediatric to adult care. Methods: The aim of this project was to implement the CF R.I.S.E. program, a structured transition program, in a CF center with limited resources at Marmara University. The program was adapted and translated into Turkish with the permission of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. A multidisciplinary team collaborated in the translation and adaptation process and educational materials were developed for patients and families. Results: Successful implementation of the CF RISE program was achieved within six months. A pilot study with randomly selected patients revealed positive feedback indicating the effectiveness and understandability of the program. The program facilitated strong collaboration between pediatric pulmonologists, CF nurses, dietitians and patient representatives. However, challenges were encountered due to the lack of a designated social worker, which affected patients’ access to expert guidance on social security and disability rights. Conclusions: The CF S.O.B.E. program was successfully adapted and implemented at the Marmara University CF Center in Turkey. The program is expected to have a positive impact on patients’ knowledge and self-care skills over a period of 1.5 years. It is aimed to make the program a routine practice in the center and to expand the collaboration with adult clinics. Further studies are needed to assess its long-term impact and applicability in different health settings. The ultimate goal is to disseminate the program’s resources and promote structured transition practices nationwide.

Solving the world’s health challenges requires multidisciplinary collaborations that bring together the talents, experiences, resources, and ideas from multiple sectors in low and middle-income countries (LMIC) and high -income countries (HIC). Cystic Fibrosis (CF) was thought to be a disease of Caucasian populations from European decent. However, it has been shown to affect people from all ethnic backgrounds. CF care varies significantly for people with CF (pw CF) from HIC with median survival approaching 50 years of age, to LMIC with pw CF dying in infancy or early childhood. To address the discrepancy in quality of care and outcomes, we report on a collaboration between our team at the University of Michigan cystic fibrosis center (UoM CFC), through support from the Middle East CF Association (MECFA) and the CF Foundation (CFF), and a CF center in Turkey (Marmara University CF Center, Istanbul) to address deficiencies and improve quality of care in that center. The collaboration has been successful in improving Ma CFC data and patient care. This partnership can be viewed as a model of collaboration to be duplicated in other Middle East Countries and LMIC to deliver optimal CF care.