My Great Strides Story
Robyn Cordes
Fundraising for Bucks County Great Strides 2026
Robyn Cordes
It's our 25th Great Strides Walk. Yep - that's right. It has been 25 walks for a cure.
Every year we have walked and hiked to celebrate Megan and the quest for a cure. Our beautiful daughter is turning 25 this year - how did that happen. By way of update, Megan finished her student teaching last year in Massachusetts. This fall her dream job opened up much earlier than she thought she was ready for, but she decided to go for it and became one of the youngest directors of the fall play and spring musical at her old high school. Megan not only put on great shows in a very short time, but she is now working on next year's theater schedule and developing a robust drama program for the high school and even into the junior highs. Megan has been subbing in between for the entire district and working weddings on the weekend.
None of this would have been possible without the science and treatments over her lifetime, specifically the last five years.
When Megan was diagnosed back in 2001, treatment included multiple breathing treatments a day, several pills each day and strict nutritional needs for this multi organ disease which led to a feeding tube for over 15 years. In addition, she saw a team of specialists four times a year when she wasn’t in the hospital.
Fast forward from that first walk 25 years ago and you can see CF treatments are completely different and vastly improved. Over five years ago, Megan started the long-awaited drug, Trikafta and is now on the newest version of the CF gene modifying medications, Alyftrek. Over five years ago she was finally able to have her feeding tube removed, something she has had since she was a toddler. Megan continues some of her maintenance care and medications, but even that has diminished to very little daily, allowing her to live life to the fullest.. Life expectancy has gone from 32 years old when she was born, to over 63 years and we know that will continue to increase so that Megan will have a long, full life. We cannot believe how close we are to a cure.
So why do we still do this? Because there is still no cure, there is NO remission, medications are still needed every day, so we continue to fight. In addition, there are many others with different variations of CF that the new medications do not work for yet - people who are working and fighting right alongside of us. We owe it to these families to make sure there are treatments for everyone and eventually a cure for all. Our motto is "UNTIL IT'S DONE," and we are committed to finish for Megan and all those who come behind that are still looking for that cure, as well as in gratitude to all those that went before and did so much work to get us HERE.
We have committed to raising funds every year for this cause so near to our hearts and are asking for your help again in raising support for research to cure this disease. We hope you will join Team Meggers and help raise funds. It's easy, it's fun and it will continue to save Megan's life and give her hope for a cure one day. There are treatments and drug therapies that have changed the outcome of this once deadly disease. Our continued efforts will make Megan's life long and full. Please consider making a donation to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation or joining Team Meggers today.
Together, we can make a difference in the lives of those with CF like Megan. Last year we raised over $25,000 through this event and our local foundation, BCCFA (Bucks County Cystic Fibrosis Foundation). Thank you for supporting the mission of the CF Foundation, BCCFA and the effort to find a cure for all with Cystic Fibrosis! But more importantly, thank you for praying and being with us as we have watched Megan grow and become a young woman. Help us find a cure soon and be part of Team Meggers today! Thank you.
Every year we have walked and hiked to celebrate Megan and the quest for a cure. Our beautiful daughter is turning 25 this year - how did that happen. By way of update, Megan finished her student teaching last year in Massachusetts. This fall her dream job opened up much earlier than she thought she was ready for, but she decided to go for it and became one of the youngest directors of the fall play and spring musical at her old high school. Megan not only put on great shows in a very short time, but she is now working on next year's theater schedule and developing a robust drama program for the high school and even into the junior highs. Megan has been subbing in between for the entire district and working weddings on the weekend.
None of this would have been possible without the science and treatments over her lifetime, specifically the last five years.
When Megan was diagnosed back in 2001, treatment included multiple breathing treatments a day, several pills each day and strict nutritional needs for this multi organ disease which led to a feeding tube for over 15 years. In addition, she saw a team of specialists four times a year when she wasn’t in the hospital.
Fast forward from that first walk 25 years ago and you can see CF treatments are completely different and vastly improved. Over five years ago, Megan started the long-awaited drug, Trikafta and is now on the newest version of the CF gene modifying medications, Alyftrek. Over five years ago she was finally able to have her feeding tube removed, something she has had since she was a toddler. Megan continues some of her maintenance care and medications, but even that has diminished to very little daily, allowing her to live life to the fullest.. Life expectancy has gone from 32 years old when she was born, to over 63 years and we know that will continue to increase so that Megan will have a long, full life. We cannot believe how close we are to a cure.
So why do we still do this? Because there is still no cure, there is NO remission, medications are still needed every day, so we continue to fight. In addition, there are many others with different variations of CF that the new medications do not work for yet - people who are working and fighting right alongside of us. We owe it to these families to make sure there are treatments for everyone and eventually a cure for all. Our motto is "UNTIL IT'S DONE," and we are committed to finish for Megan and all those who come behind that are still looking for that cure, as well as in gratitude to all those that went before and did so much work to get us HERE.
We have committed to raising funds every year for this cause so near to our hearts and are asking for your help again in raising support for research to cure this disease. We hope you will join Team Meggers and help raise funds. It's easy, it's fun and it will continue to save Megan's life and give her hope for a cure one day. There are treatments and drug therapies that have changed the outcome of this once deadly disease. Our continued efforts will make Megan's life long and full. Please consider making a donation to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation or joining Team Meggers today.
Together, we can make a difference in the lives of those with CF like Megan. Last year we raised over $25,000 through this event and our local foundation, BCCFA (Bucks County Cystic Fibrosis Foundation). Thank you for supporting the mission of the CF Foundation, BCCFA and the effort to find a cure for all with Cystic Fibrosis! But more importantly, thank you for praying and being with us as we have watched Megan grow and become a young woman. Help us find a cure soon and be part of Team Meggers today! Thank you.
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