Hello Grayton’s Guardians – Washington DC! We (team leaders Chaise and Leah) are thrilled to be part of this years CF walk - DC Chapter and would like to thank you all for joining us. As you know, this cause hits close to home because our sweet friends in Atlanta, Melissa and JB Pinkston, have a little boy named Grayton who is currently battling CF. We want to do everything we can to give him (and others like him) more tomorrows!
Some of you may be unfamiliar with Cystic Fibrosis. CF is a genetic disease that affects the lungs, pancreas, and other vital organs. Grayton's daily regimen involves taking pills (540 pills a month) before each meal in order to give his body the ability to absorb the fat and nutrients from food. Putting on weight is a constant challenge for those living with cystic fibrosis, especially for G as his pancreas has no functionality. Every day he does two breathing treatment called CPT (Chest PhysioTherapy). He wears a vest that's connected to a machine that will shake him to help move the mucus in his lungs. He spends 30 minutes twice a day strapped to this machine (around 30 hours per month). As you can imagine, it's a challenge to keep a toddler entertained and constrained during this time. His favorite vest time activities include stacking shapes/blocks and reading a book about trucks (dump trucks and tractors are his favorite)! His Dada is also trying to get him to play a harmonica to help with lung capacity. He takes an acid blocker 2Xs a day and liquid multivitamin which are also necessary to his daily routine and weight management.
There has been so much development in the last few years and we want to continue this momentum by adding tomorrows to all of those living with CF. The real progress has been made in the search for a cure, but the lives of people with CF are still cut far too short. There still is no cure for this devastating disease. By walking today, we are helping add tomorrows to the lives of people living with cystic fibrosis. Will you join us? Support us by making a donation to our Great Strides fundraising campaign today!
Great Strides is a fun, family-friendly 5K that raises awareness and support for people with CF and their families. Our walk is Saturday, June 1st with check-ins starting at 9am at the National Mall – SEE YOU THERE!
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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.