My Breathe Team Story
Jonathan Shea
Jonathan Shea
My name is Jonathan Shea, and I am a Senior at Boston College. I have run the Falmouth Road Race with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for the last two years, and I am proud to run my first Boston Marathon with this amazing organization.
For many years now, I have attended an annual fundraising event hosted by Joe O'Donnell, for his foundation called The Joey Fund. Joe worked his way up from humble beginnings, becoming a Harvard graduate, a pioneer in the food service management industry, and a name known and beloved throughout the city of Boston. Joe was an inspiring trailblazer who defied the odds and demonstrated that anyone can achieve their dreams through determination and hard work.
Joe's first-born son, Joey, was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis when he was three months old. As it reads in Philips Exeter's interview with Joe, who was in their graduating class of 1963,
“'It was like being hit with a tidal wave when we got that death sentence,” O’Donnell says. At the time, [1974], that’s pretty much what a diagnosis of cystic fibrosis was for children: The sole treatment options were drugs that worked only until the child developed resistance to them, and O’Donnell says he didn’t dare imagine his son would survive more than a few years. For a brief time, however, Joey grew and lived a somewhat normal life — he was elected class president in seventh grade, and had the lead in the school play — while cheerfully educating his classmates about the disease.
“He was very comfortable advocating for CF,” O’Donnell says. “He was that kind of kid — a very engaging, sparkly kid.”
In 1986, Joey died at age 12: “It was the end of a dream,” O’Donnell says."
Instead of living the rest of his life with a hardened heart and turning away from Cystic Fibrosis altogether, Joe started The Joey Fund, so that no other parents, siblings, relatives, or friends ever had to go through what the O'Donnell Family faced following Joey's diagnosis.
Since its founding thirty-eight years ago, The Joey Fund has raised over $500 million, but more importantly, it has significantly raised awareness of the genetic disease throughout both New England and America as a whole, working in partnership with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Joe was an incredible friend, mentor, and role model. The need to trample this disease, coupled with Joe's unwavering philanthropy, is my "Why" for this year’s Boston Marathon.
For many years now, I have attended an annual fundraising event hosted by Joe O'Donnell, for his foundation called The Joey Fund. Joe worked his way up from humble beginnings, becoming a Harvard graduate, a pioneer in the food service management industry, and a name known and beloved throughout the city of Boston. Joe was an inspiring trailblazer who defied the odds and demonstrated that anyone can achieve their dreams through determination and hard work.
Joe's first-born son, Joey, was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis when he was three months old. As it reads in Philips Exeter's interview with Joe, who was in their graduating class of 1963,
“'It was like being hit with a tidal wave when we got that death sentence,” O’Donnell says. At the time, [1974], that’s pretty much what a diagnosis of cystic fibrosis was for children: The sole treatment options were drugs that worked only until the child developed resistance to them, and O’Donnell says he didn’t dare imagine his son would survive more than a few years. For a brief time, however, Joey grew and lived a somewhat normal life — he was elected class president in seventh grade, and had the lead in the school play — while cheerfully educating his classmates about the disease.
“He was very comfortable advocating for CF,” O’Donnell says. “He was that kind of kid — a very engaging, sparkly kid.”
In 1986, Joey died at age 12: “It was the end of a dream,” O’Donnell says."
Instead of living the rest of his life with a hardened heart and turning away from Cystic Fibrosis altogether, Joe started The Joey Fund, so that no other parents, siblings, relatives, or friends ever had to go through what the O'Donnell Family faced following Joey's diagnosis.
Since its founding thirty-eight years ago, The Joey Fund has raised over $500 million, but more importantly, it has significantly raised awareness of the genetic disease throughout both New England and America as a whole, working in partnership with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Joe was an incredible friend, mentor, and role model. The need to trample this disease, coupled with Joe's unwavering philanthropy, is my "Why" for this year’s Boston Marathon.
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CF is a genetic, life-shortening disease that devastates the lungs, pancreas, and other vital organs. CF makes it difficult to breathe and fight life-threatening infections, often leading to extensive lung damage and respiratory failure.
Every person born with cystic fibrosis is on a unique journey and experiences this challenging disease differently. While progress has been made, a long road lies ahead for far too many people fighting this terrible disease. We need a cure so that everyone with CF has a better chance to live a long, healthy life.
Will you help us end cystic fibrosis?
By donating to my fundraising goal, you have the power to advance the research and science needed to drive our shared dream forward – a cure for everyone with CF.
On-Line Resources
Some basic info on what CF is can be found here
Some great articles on what the Foundation has been up to can be found here
Philips Exeter Interview with Joe
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