Hello Everyone!
There are approximately 30,000 Americans living with cystic fibrosis. They are moms, dads, sisters, brothers, daughters, sons, friends, neighbors, and co-workers who struggle every day just to breathe.
For those of you that don't know, Cystic Fibrosis is a life-threatening disease that causes persistent lung infections and progressively limits the ability to breathe because of a defective gene that causes a thick buildup of mucus in the lungs, pancreas, and other vital organs. The mucus clogs the airways of the lungs and traps bacteria which leads to infections, extensive lung damage, and ultimately respiratory failure. The life expectancy of someone who has CF is 37 years old and as of today, there is NO CURE. Worse than that, the government does not provide any funding because CF is considered "too small" of a disease which means most of funds needed for critical research come from donations and fund raisers.
So why am I supporting this cause? The truth is that CF hasn't affected me at all. My life will move forward just fine whether I do something or not and most likely yours will too. But for some good friends of mine the fight is real every day.
"CF is a big part of our lives. We have 3 beautiful and amazing children, two of which were born with CF. Unfortunately, this disease has affected our family too many times. We lost Johnny's sister, Suley, ten years ago at only 22 years of age, due to complications pertaining to CF."
"Our beautiful baby girl ~ Ashley Paige was diagnosed at 6 weeks old. She is now an AMAZING, VIBRANT, LOVING 11-year-old in the 5th grade. So far, she has had a GREAT year ~ no admittance to the hospital ~ and they are happy with her progress. She LOVES to sing and we are in the process of setting her up for voice lessons!!"
"Our little monster ~ Jacob Chase was diagnosed at 3 weeks old. This little trooper, who was born 6 1/2 weeks early, has definitely had some battles in his path, but he always seems to overcome any obstacle. He is now 4 years old and as he puts it, a "BIG BOY"!! This has been a good year for him also. We are still having a little trouble with his weight gain but we will get there!"
Real progress has been made for those who have CF and a cure is closer than ever. However, as of today too many lives are being cut far too short and that is unacceptable.
Please support us!
Great Strides is a fun, family-friendly event that raises awareness and support for people with CF and their families. Our team will be walking on May 4th in the Lehigh Valley Great Strides Walk, which is held at Cedar Crest Community College.
Help us reach our fundraising goal by donating to our Great Strides fundraising campaign. Your gift will help add tomorrows to the lives of people with cystic fibrosis by supporting groundbreaking research and medical progress. Your gift is 100-percent tax deductible.
Nearly $.90 of every dollar goes straight to vital CF programs that support research, care and education for Cystic Fibrosis. With your help a cure is in our REACH!!
I hope to see as many of you as possible on May 4th! If you would like to join us, please click the "Join Our Team" below and register. If you are unable to make it, don't worry you can still donate!
Please click the "Donate Now" and give whatever you can.
"Every bit helps make little Ashley, Jacob, and all those fighting CF live healthier and longer lives."
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Important note on Attendance at Foundation Events:
Infections can exacerbate CF symptoms and worsen lung function, so we ask attendees at Foundation-sponsored events to observe the following best practices to reduce the risk of germ transmission:
To further reduce the risk of cross-infection, the Foundation’s attendance policy recommends that all people with CF maintain a safe 6-foot distance from each other at all times while attending an outdoor Foundation-sponsored event. All Great Strides walks are non-smoking events.