National Team: Breslin Family / Caitlin's Crew

Cystic fibrosis is a devastating genetic disease that still affects approximately 40,000 children and adults in the United States. Our daughter, Caitlin, as you know, has CF and is now living in Perry Hall, MD and is busy with her life as a recent mother of her 2nd miracle baby, Lucy, and her two year old son Liam. She's a young career professional and, her the miracle of her relative health is a tribute to each and every one of you who have given to this cause in the past. I thought I would share with you a message she is sharing this year in her, and our, efforts to raise funds to fight CF. This is why we keep fighting...

"Thank you to everyone for your continued support year after year. My family has been fundraising for CF for as long as I can remember and the research that has been done in my lifetime is absolutely INCREDIBLE. The fundraising dollars given by you have truly kept me alive. Not only am I alive but because of your fundraising dollars I am LIVING a full life. I was able to go away to college, get a full time job, get married. All these things were just dreams that I potentially thought wouldn't have become a reality but because of you caring they have come true!

In December 2019 I started taking a life changing therapeutic called "Trikafta". Trikafta is an incredible drug that in clinical trials had proven to improve lung function by 10% and higher! In my experience so far with Trikafta it has brought me so many blessings. I now have a dry cough for the first time in YEARS, I no longer spit up mucus on a daily basis and because of that my lung function has improved 38% and has been consistent for 4 years now! If you've ever been around a CFer you know how wet our coughs are and how much mucus we have in our lungs so this is HUGE, and life changing! I feel like I can REALLY breathe for the first time in my life. Trikafta has given me a chance at a whole new life I never through possible for myself. Best of all Trikafta made me a mom to TWO beautiful healthy babies. It made me healthy enough to get pregnant two times and was able welcome my son Liam in December 2020 and daughter Lucy into the world in November 2022! So for that I thank you endlessly because your donations made me a mom!!!

Our dream is that one day Caitlin, and all others with this disease, will no longer have to spend anytime doing the treatments that give them breath, and extra days. Drugs, like Trikafta, and therapeutic advances that have been achieved since her birth have been miraculous and are the direct result of the generosity of our friends and family who have joined the Crew in the past. However, 10% of those with CF have NO therapeutic drugs to help them live healthier lives. That is why we want to find the cure!! We want CF to stand for CURE FOUND! We will keep fighting until it's done!

This year, Caitlin and the Breslin Family are walking in our local Great Strides walk on May 6th at our home in Hagerstown and we, once again, need your help to meet our fundraising goal. Also, we are asking our National team friends and family who traditionally walk in sites in Annapolis, MD, Philadelphia, PA, New Orleans, LA, Jacksonville, FL and Durham, NC to join our efforts by participating in their Chapter's events. Last year, we raised over $72,000 in this overall team effort so we have a real challenge to surpass this amount!!!

If you can support us for the walk, your generous gift will be used to help support the Foundation's mission of finding a cure and improving the lives of those with CF. And, your gift is 100 percent tax deductible.

Making a donation is easy and secure. Just click the link below that says, "Click here to visit my personal page" to make a donation that will support our team. Any amount you can donate is greatly appreciated. If you wish to send a check instead, please make it out to "CF Foundation Great Strides" and mail in C/O Hugh Breslin, 12916 Hawkins Circle, Hagerstown, MD 21742

Thank you for supporting Caitlin's Crew and our family! Together, we can make a difference and "add tomorrows" to the lives of those with CF. Until it's done!!