Aly Crawford

Three years ago I had never heard of Cystic Fibrosis. Now I think about it every single day.

When Travis was born we were worried because he wasn't putting on the weight as he was supposed to. Luckily for us testing on newborns is required and we learned on his 2 week newborn screening he had the disease. Trevor and I quickly had to learn what to do and what was best for Travis. There was a lot of learning and a lot of worrying.

To say Cystic Fibrosis has changed things for our little family is an understatement. We spend hours a day managing his disease. From the part that I've learned to love: cooking and managing a nutrient dense, high fat and sodium diet to the constant barage of medical bureaucracy: ordering and refilling prescriptions, organizing doctor's appointments, dealing with insurance, and managing medical bills we are faced with his disease everyday. Each day I help Travis with his treatments, clean, sanitize and prepare his equipment, make sure he takes all of his medications on top of all the things that need to happen for a toddler. And he is healthy right now. When he gets sick there is more. When, not if, he gets sick he will have hospital stays, more blood work, more treatments, and more medication.

This disease has the potential to take my son from me. I do not want CF to win.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is truly making great strides forward for people living with this disease. Their fundraising has led to the development of CF clinics like the one we attend with a team of doctors who specialize in this complex disease as well as the funding necessary for medical research leading to the creation of medicines like Trikafta, one of the amazing medicines Travis takes everyday. Donations like yours are the reason my son is healthy right now. Every donation, no matter how small, helps to make more great forward strides possible.

You can donate here on the CFF app or speak to me directly. We would love for you to join us at the Great Strides Walk on Sept. 21st! Travis is the Great Strides ambassador this year and we are proud to celebrate the impact that fundraising can make on our community. If you plan to attend please make sure to register. Thank you for supporting Travis.