My Great Strides Story
Jessica Schimert
Fundraising for Buffalo Great Strides
Jessica Schimert
On Sunday, May 18, we will walk to raise money for vital Cystic Fibrosis research. My brother, Justin, will turn 46 years old on May 17. This is a miracle for our family. When Justin was diagnosed with CF in 1979 at two days old, his life expectancy wasn’t beyond high school.
Justin is my why. His fight has been difficult. It wasn’t at first. He wasn’t much different than other children. But CF quickly progressed in his 20s. By the time he was 25, CF had taken over. His lungs were consumed with thick sticky mucus. He was suffocating. He was at the end. I am only a CF sibling, and it was painful to watch. I cannot imagine the pain my parents endured watching this happen. What came next was a beautiful intersection of science and a miracle. Justin was airlifted to NYC for a double lung transplant. The first set of lungs died in transport. The second had Hepatitis, and his doctors and surgeons refused to allow that set to enter his body. They sent a regional plea out for a set of lungs – it was a last, desperate attempt to save Justin’s life. And it worked! A miracle, coupled with science, saved his life. Today, almost 18 years later, he is a husband, uncle, business owner, son, and brother. We are truly blessed!
In the 20+ years I have been a part of this Foundation, I have watched the life expectancy increase by almost 20 years. I have watched therapies be introduced that correct the basic genetic defect that causes CF for many, if not most, of our patients. I have watched the children of parents I volunteered with grow up to attend college, get married, run marathons, have babies, and pursue careers.
So much progress has been made, but it’s not over…yet. Today, many CF patients still do not have a therapy to correct their mutation. Those living with CF and those living with transplants, like Justin, need medications to sustain their life. This won’t happen without continuous research and care.
CF research and care are complex and expensive. That is why we work tirelessly throughout the year to raise money for research. We won’t stop until all of our 40,000 CF patients have a therapy to correct the defect.
Please consider supporting our cause with a small donation to our walk. With your help, we will see the day when CF = Cure Found.
Justin is my why. His fight has been difficult. It wasn’t at first. He wasn’t much different than other children. But CF quickly progressed in his 20s. By the time he was 25, CF had taken over. His lungs were consumed with thick sticky mucus. He was suffocating. He was at the end. I am only a CF sibling, and it was painful to watch. I cannot imagine the pain my parents endured watching this happen. What came next was a beautiful intersection of science and a miracle. Justin was airlifted to NYC for a double lung transplant. The first set of lungs died in transport. The second had Hepatitis, and his doctors and surgeons refused to allow that set to enter his body. They sent a regional plea out for a set of lungs – it was a last, desperate attempt to save Justin’s life. And it worked! A miracle, coupled with science, saved his life. Today, almost 18 years later, he is a husband, uncle, business owner, son, and brother. We are truly blessed!
In the 20+ years I have been a part of this Foundation, I have watched the life expectancy increase by almost 20 years. I have watched therapies be introduced that correct the basic genetic defect that causes CF for many, if not most, of our patients. I have watched the children of parents I volunteered with grow up to attend college, get married, run marathons, have babies, and pursue careers.
So much progress has been made, but it’s not over…yet. Today, many CF patients still do not have a therapy to correct their mutation. Those living with CF and those living with transplants, like Justin, need medications to sustain their life. This won’t happen without continuous research and care.
CF research and care are complex and expensive. That is why we work tirelessly throughout the year to raise money for research. We won’t stop until all of our 40,000 CF patients have a therapy to correct the defect.
Please consider supporting our cause with a small donation to our walk. With your help, we will see the day when CF = Cure Found.
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