Matt Pack

Join the Matt Pack and help us change the reality of cystic fibrosis once and for all.

Dear Family and Friends,   

As most of you know Matthew was born with Cystic Fibrosis.. a chronic, genetic, progressive,  life-shortening disease.  Cystic Fibrosis (CF) causes the body to produce a thick sticky mucus.  In the lungs this mucus creates a breeding ground for bacteria resulting in dangerous infections and chonic lung damage.  It also affects the digestive system as well as other areas in the body causing multiple complications to the victims health and quality of life.  10 million Americans are symptomless carriers of the defective gene that causes CF( that is 1 in 30 people).  It can run in families undetected for generations. The help you give today can even possibly make the difference for a loved one in your future.  In 1955 children born with CF rarely lived long enough to attend kindergarten.  Today, thanks to advances in science, funded by people like you, half will live to age 37, "HALF WILL NOT"!  To look at Matt you would think he is just a normal boy.  But normal for Matt is taking 7 pills every time he eats just so he can digest his food.  That's 28+ pills a day, 800+ pills every month.  In addtion to that there are oral antibiotic and special vitamins.  Normal for Matt is doing 5 inhaled medication and chest physical therapy multiple times daily to keep his lungs clear of life threatening mucus.  Normal is weeks and sometimes months of continuous IV antibiotics. Normal is being hooked to a feeding tube 8-10 hours every night to recieve the nutritional supplements his body needs to keep up with it's extra caloric demands. Normal is frequent doctor visits, lab draws, extra immunizations and multiple hospital stays (38 in the last 10 years alone). " Normal shouldn't have to be this hard"!   

That is why this May, and every May to come the Matt Pack will be taking "Great Strides" to see that Matthew and every other child and young adult like him have every possible opportunity to keep them healthy until that day when CF stand for "Cure Found".     

This year is Vancouver Great Stride's 20th Anniversary.  We are so incredible proud of this team and this community. We have set a goal and are on target. With your help the Vancouver Great Strides will break $1,000,000 brought in over the life of this walk. We are making a difference!!

YOUR HELP IS CRITCAL!     

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is the leader in the search for a cure.  Nearly every CF drug available today was made possible because of foundation support.... support that comes from events like Great Strides and people like YOU!   Together we have the power to change the reality of Cystic Fibrosis.   PLEASE join our fight.  Below are a few options in which you can help.  If I could ask one other thing,  it would be great if everyone reading this could pass it on to their friends and family.  It has been said in the CF community that "money buys science and science buys time".  I for one can not think of a greater gift.     

So from a mother's heart "Thank You",   

Mary and the Matt Pack