My Great Strides Story
Hagrid Lee
Fundraising for Columbia Great Strides 2026
Hagrid Lee
Hagrid is a 10 1/2-year-old German Shepherd that belongs to Al Lee, who was born with cystic fibrosis. He joined our family shortly after Al's most difficult hospital stay in the fall of 2015 during the historic 100-year flood. Al was in the middle of a typical 2 week "tune up" on IV antibiotics to fight multiple lung infections when the hospital was without running water due to the flood. He was sent home on home IV's when a few days later, he became much worse. Upon going back to the hospital, it was discovered that one of his medications had shut down his kidneys. He was placed on a ventilator and taken to the ICU.
The next few days were terrible. He had to get a central line put in place, remain sedated while on the vent, and receive dialysis. It was touch and go for those few days.
Fortunately, he was taken off the vent after 4 days. He was able to take the medicine that had damaged his kidney through a nebulizer, bypassing his kidneys, so his lung infection could still be treated. Although he had to continue dialysis for several weeks, his kidneys completely healed. He had lost lots of weight, missed over a month of school, but he was going to make it.
This is where Hagrid comes in. Al had been wanting to get another dog after his dog had died of old age, but I (his mom) wasn't ready yet. When Al was sedated those four days. I talked to him nonstop and promised him if he would just keep fighting, he could have any dog he wanted. A few weeks after Al finished dialysis, we found Hagrid, a 5 pound 6-week-old shepherd. He was exactly what Al needed.
Since then, Al has grown into a tall, healthy young man and Hagrid is a loving, protective 96-pound boy. We owe Al's good health to all the research funded by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. However, there is still work to be done to find a true cure.
Please help us meet our fundraising goal so no parent, brother, sister, friend (or dog) ... has to lose someone they love to this disease. Every dollar helps. Thank you
The next few days were terrible. He had to get a central line put in place, remain sedated while on the vent, and receive dialysis. It was touch and go for those few days.
Fortunately, he was taken off the vent after 4 days. He was able to take the medicine that had damaged his kidney through a nebulizer, bypassing his kidneys, so his lung infection could still be treated. Although he had to continue dialysis for several weeks, his kidneys completely healed. He had lost lots of weight, missed over a month of school, but he was going to make it.
This is where Hagrid comes in. Al had been wanting to get another dog after his dog had died of old age, but I (his mom) wasn't ready yet. When Al was sedated those four days. I talked to him nonstop and promised him if he would just keep fighting, he could have any dog he wanted. A few weeks after Al finished dialysis, we found Hagrid, a 5 pound 6-week-old shepherd. He was exactly what Al needed.
Since then, Al has grown into a tall, healthy young man and Hagrid is a loving, protective 96-pound boy. We owe Al's good health to all the research funded by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. However, there is still work to be done to find a true cure.
Please help us meet our fundraising goal so no parent, brother, sister, friend (or dog) ... has to lose someone they love to this disease. Every dollar helps. Thank you
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