Holly Loosen

There are approximately 40,000 Americans living with cystic fibrosis. They are moms, dads, sisters, brothers, daughters, sons, friends and co-workers who struggle every day just to breathe. I walk for them and hope you will support my efforts.

I work closely with the CF community as a physical therapist at the Johns Hopkins Hospital and Cystic Fibrosis Center.  Thanks to donations from people like you, the CF story has celebrated incredible successes over the past few years. Trikafta, an effective medication for many people living with CF, has been an absolute game changer, and has been FDA approved for children and adults ages 2 yo and older. This drug attacks the disease at the cellular level and can dramatically change symptoms for people living with the most common genetic mutation for CF.  FDA approval of Trikafta use for children as young as 2 yo gives the drug a chance to prevent severe symptom onset and irreversible damage from disease. People living with CF, who are eligible for this medication, are breathing easier for the first time. Coughing has decreased. Lung functions are improving, and all of this means the quantity and quality of life for people with CF continues to rise! 

This drug does not work for everyone because CF is caused by over 2,000 different genetic mutations. (Pretty incredible!) It can't reverse damage to lungs that came before its discovery and use, and it is not a cure but an expensive medication that must be taken twice daily, in addition to other therapies, to keep the disease at bay. I walk today to continue the quest for an effective treatment for everyone living with CF, and ultimately, a cure! We are so close!  I walk to remember CF warriors who have passed too soon and to honor and walk beside those who live with this disease.

Your support still matters. Your donation supports the research that has already changed lives in the CF community, and it is 100% tax deductible. Give if you can. Keep the CF community in your hearts even if you can't. Thank you to everyone who has supported me and this cause in the past and present! I appreciate all your love for the CF community!