Julie Flower

My name is Julie Flower and I would like to introduce you to Team Gabrielle. Team Gabrielle is made up of supporters working to find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis. This group was formed 10 years ago in support of my daughter Gabrielle, who was diagnosed at two weeks of age with Cystic Fibrosis. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has helped us with learning about this diagnosis, provided us with support of other families with CF, and how we could help raise funds for research to find a cure.

Cystic Fibrosis is a life threatening genetic disease that causes mucus to build up and clog some of the organs in the body, particularly the lungs and pancreas. There are approximately 30,000 Americans living with cystic fibrosis. The symptoms and severity of the disease vary according to the genetic defect that caused it, as well as patients' age and other existent conditions. Similarly, the symptoms are not constant and differ over time. Gabrielle has been hospitalized three times over the last few years for CF treatments.

Gabi is 14 years old and is currently in ninth grade this year. She loves to play with her friends and her twin sister, Olivia. She is doing great at school, loves to read, and play video grades. She takes multiple medications daily with every meal and snack to assist in digestion. She is now up to taking ten pills just with her morning breakfast alone. In addition to medications, she has multiple daily breathing treatments and pulmonary vest therapy daily. She has a pediatrician, a pulmonologist, an endocrinologist, a GI doctor, and a nutritionist. My girl, she handles all of this with a smile and infectious laugh.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Great Strides Walk is held every year.  This year the walk will be at City Park.  This is the foundation's biggest fundraiser of the year and walks occur all over the country. Team Gabrielle has participated in the walk for the last 10 years. We fundraise every year for months, holding different events to raise funds which all go to the foundation and research to find a cure. Our goal is that Gabi will have the chance to grow up and have the same chance as any other child to have a long and healthy life .

I am looking forward to working with you, your family and your business to continue our fight to raise funds for finding a cure. It is with the generosity and kindness of others that I know we will reach our goal, to find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis and for Gabi.