Whitney Klepadlo

Our son Joseph was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at just six weeks old. We were new parents spending weeks in and out of the hospital, and multiple trips to the ER, finally we had our diagnosis - knew what we were up against. We have learned and grown a lot as a family in the last 4.5 years, and with Joseph in preschool and becoming a big brother (x2) there has been even more to learn and more to plan for. All parents know how rough it has been this winter with the non-stop colds & viruses; building little immune systems where there was nothing before during a lockdown pandemic. There have been so many hard days for Joseph with treatments 4x a day, a cough that keeps him up all night and staying in from activities to recover from the latest. As parents during this we have struggled with how to continue to protect him while allowing him to live a life without fear; when do we bring him in for his cough vs letting him try and recover from it? How many rounds of oral antibiotics until we are facing an admission with IV antibiotics?  Joseph takes up to 18 pills a day, spends up to an hour 2x a day on breathing treatments and chest physical therapy, and trips into the city to visit with his care team. For Joseph, a cough is never just a cough. There have been incredible advancements in CF care, medications & therapies, but the fight is not over. Even with the success of Trikafta, which Joseph has been on for almost a full year, there are 10% of CF patients who are not eligible for any modulators. Join us as we raise awareness and raise funding to continue this fight for all the children and adults battling this terrible disease every single day, for the caregivers who pour their heart and soul into caring for those affected, for Joseph - the strongest kid I know. Alex and I won't stop until CF stands for Cure Found!

- With Love, The Klepadlos 

There are approximately 30,000 Americans living with cystic fibrosis. They are moms, dads, sisters, brothers, daughters, sons, and friends who struggle every day just to breathe. I walk for them. Will you join me and support my fundraising goal?

Real progress has been made for those who have CF, but there is still no cure for this devastating disease and many lives are cut far too short. We’ve come so far, but there’s still so much work to do. I will not stop striding until all those with cystic fibrosis have a cure. We will not leave anyone behind.  

Please support me!

We are at a pivotal moment in the history of cystic fibrosis and your support matters. With your help, we can invest our resources in research today, while raising funds for tomorrow, to ensure we have what it takes to reach the finish line. Together, we can make CF stand for Cure Found. Please help me reach my fundraising goal!