‘Wonka reminds him, “Don’t forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he wanted.” “What?” asks Charlie. Wonka smiles, “He lived happily ever after.”’ - Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (1971)

It has been almost 6 years since Joey was in the hospital. While this is not a notable fact for most 22 year old college seniors, it would’ve been unfathomable if you suggested it to us at any point of his childhood. 

Due to cystic fibrosis, Joey was a ‘frequent flyer’ at our children’s hospital—often in patient for a week or longer 3-4 times a year, every year from age 2 to 16. 

Therapies and medical intervention allowed him to have an outwardly normal looking life. He excelled in school, played soccer, became an Eagle Scout and always had friends. But, under the surface, CF was stealing away hours a day to do those therapies, weeks a year in the hospital, and calories that prevented him from having enough energy to really engage in all the activities he wanted to do. There was enough for survival, but not enough for typical growth and thriving. 

In 2019, Vertex introduced Trikafta which has been a life-changing medicine for little Joey and thousands of others. Thanks to decades of donations and work by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Trikafta impacted the root cause of CF and has given Joey the ability to follow his dreams — to go to college 20 hours from home (University of Texas - Austin) studying a incredibly challenging major (Architectural Engineering), taking leadership roles in his fraternity (Pi Kappa Alpha “Pikes’), and developing deep friendships with his peers. He’s making all of our dreams come true. 

All this happening only because Trikafta has been smoothing away all the ways CF has been stealing normalcy from him over the years.

And we don’t have the words for what a gift this has been and how eternally grateful we are.

We are celebrating all the gifts the CFF has given us and to help them to go the final mile to make ‘CF’ stand for ‘Cure Found’ in our annual Great Strides event on May 18. Will you help support our efforts?  Every gift — of any size— is so appreciated and powerful. 

Thank you!

Caroline & Joey, Joey & Keegan