Eva is one of approximately 40,000 Americans living with cystic fibrosis. Now 12 years old, she already feels the long lasting effects of damaging lung infections and difficulty digesting food. She takes up to 25 doses of medicine or supplements a day and needs to eat 1.5-2 times the amount of food of a typical 12 year old to help her absorb all that she needs to thrive. 2020 is a distant memory for some, but for her she still remembers it as her most difficult year with two hospitalizations for stubborn pneumonia and over two weeks of IV antibiotics at home. Even now when she gets a cold and has to increase treatments to 4/ day at 2.5 hours/ day, a lingering thought is "Will this one land me in the hospital?" The maintenance of 2 breathing treatments/ day on her vest & 2 nebulizers at an hour & a half/ day is just routine now.
2023 brought new challenges. She has fallen off her "growth trajectory" so endured a 5 hour fasting growth hormone test and may start growth hormone injections now - not just to get taller, but to give her lungs as much surface area as possible. The morbid reason is not lost on us - the bigger the lungs, the more area is available to handle the damage of this progressive disease.
But despite these breathing treatments, lingering fears and some side effects of the new modulator Trikafta , she is still a bright, energetic, strong & resilient pre-teen! Her laughter is infectious and her smile a gift. She was recently accepted to the theater magnet at her local Junior HS and she can't wait to shine on stage (or behind the scenes!).
Because of the efforts of the CFF, there is now medication to treat the underlying cause of CF for over 93% of those affected, but this treatment is not without a cost (side effects, medication interactions & financial)! We have learned of so much that scientists are doing combining this drug with others, as well as trying completely different approaches. THE CF FOUNDATION FUNDS MOST OF THIS RESEARCH. There is no federal government funding for CF, so your donation makes all of this possible.
May 20 is the Great Strides walk, which is a fun, family-friendly 5K that raises awareness and support for people with CF and their families. If we don't see you there, please consider making a donation to our team. Our girl needs a cure!
Help me reach my fundraising goal by donating to my Great Strides fundraising campaign. Your gift will help add tomorrows to the lives of people with cystic fibrosis by supporting life-saving research and medical progress. Your gift is 100-percent tax deductible.
Many thanks!! Love, Susan, Tim, Cal & Eva Attel
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