Breathe & Believe for Brooke

Please join us for our second year walking as Team Breathe and Believe for Brooke in support of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and all of the brave CF fighters.  Hosted again at Heather Farms in Walnut Creek, this year's Great Strides event will be on Saturday, April 15th, 2023, where we hope to bring an even bigger team to increase awareness and surround Brooke and her fellow fighters with all of our love.

Thanks to newborn screening, Brooke was diagnosed with CF shortly after her birth.  Due to medical advancements and her heroic parents, Elizabeth and Josh, Brooke has been the recipient of outstanding healthcare, and medical treatments which have allowed her to blossom into an energetic, intelligent, bold, little girl.  Brooke's future is bright, but there is currently no cure for Cystic Fibrosis and her diagnosis permeates every day of her life through medication, breathing treatments and medical equipment which is required to ensure her prognosis is positive.

Cystic fibrosis is a progressive, genetic disease that affects the lungs, pancreas, and other organs.  There are close to 40,000 children and adults living with cystic fibrosis in the United States (and an estimated 105,000 people have been diagnosed with CF across 94 countries).  Today, because of improved medical treatments and care, more than half of people with CF are age 18 or older. Many people with CF can expect to live healthy, fulfilling lives into their 30s, 40s, and beyond as the life expectancy of someone born with CF has doubled in the last 30 years.  Despite this progress, many people with CF do not benefit from existing therapies either because their disease is too advanced or because their specific genetic mutations will not respond.  They are moms, dads, sisters, brothers, daughters, sons, friends, and co-workers who struggle every day in the face of this devastating disease.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is the world's leader in the search for a cure for CF, and supports a broad range of research initiatives to tackle the disease from all angles - our fundraising is a critical lever in fueling their work.  

To participate, just click on the "Join our Team" button. From there, you can make a donation and/or sign up for the walk.  For those that are interested, we'll be creating t-shirts to show our support during the walk, but you're more than welcome to join in the fun, virtually, if you prefer.  Reach out to Elise with questions - elisemariecastillo@gmail.com