My Great Strides Story
John Arnold
Fundraising for Atlanta Great Strides 2026
John Arnold
Help Me Raise Dollars for Drew!
My name is John Arnold, and I'm raising funds for cystic fibrosis (CF) research.
I don't want to bury the lede here, so let me tell you up front that my wife, Drew, was born with CF in 1986.
The life expectancy at that time was between 16 and 18 years old. Because of advancements made possible from CF Foundation support, Drew has defied the odds, achieved milestone after milestone, and just celebrated her 40th birthday. But the journey to 40 hasn't been easy.
CF is a genetic disease with no cure. Many people think CF is a lung disease. That's partially true — CF does make it difficult to breathe. It causes chronic (sometimes, life-threatening) infections that require long stays in the hospital or IV antibiotics at home. And it often leads to extensive lung damage and respiratory failure. But, CF also devastates the pancreas and other vital organs and can contribute to other co-morbities like diabetes and arthritis.
There are many possible genetic variations of the disease, so every person born with CF is on a unique journey and experiences this challenging disease differently.
Because of CF Foundation support, a lot of progress has been made. There are drugs currently available that are actual life-savers. However, those drugs are not without their (often debilitating) side effects and don't work the same, if at all, for everyone.
Drew was on one of those drugs, truly a "miracle drug" for many people with CF. But side effects wrought havoc on her mental health for three years. Last year, she had to make the impossible choice between her mental health and her physical health. And she's not alone. Hundreds of other people are having similar experiences and choosing to discontinue the medication.
So today, while other people reap the benefits of that therapy (which is amazing and we're THRILLED about it), we're waiting for the next drug that will hopefully provide physical relief without affecting mental well-being.
But I'll tell you what we all really need, and that is a cure.
I know that the world can feel like a dark place right now. We're all feeling anxieties from all directions. But I'll tell you that one thing we can all do to bring more light into the world during this "right now" is to help others. To love others.
I hope that you'll consider making a donation.
It has the potential to positively alter reality for people living with CF.
PLEASE CLICK DONATE and bring some beauty and love into the world!
Thank you for reading, and thank you for supporting Drew and me and the thousands affected by CF.
Be kind to each other!
My name is John Arnold, and I'm raising funds for cystic fibrosis (CF) research.
I don't want to bury the lede here, so let me tell you up front that my wife, Drew, was born with CF in 1986.
The life expectancy at that time was between 16 and 18 years old. Because of advancements made possible from CF Foundation support, Drew has defied the odds, achieved milestone after milestone, and just celebrated her 40th birthday. But the journey to 40 hasn't been easy.
CF is a genetic disease with no cure. Many people think CF is a lung disease. That's partially true — CF does make it difficult to breathe. It causes chronic (sometimes, life-threatening) infections that require long stays in the hospital or IV antibiotics at home. And it often leads to extensive lung damage and respiratory failure. But, CF also devastates the pancreas and other vital organs and can contribute to other co-morbities like diabetes and arthritis.
There are many possible genetic variations of the disease, so every person born with CF is on a unique journey and experiences this challenging disease differently.
Because of CF Foundation support, a lot of progress has been made. There are drugs currently available that are actual life-savers. However, those drugs are not without their (often debilitating) side effects and don't work the same, if at all, for everyone.
Drew was on one of those drugs, truly a "miracle drug" for many people with CF. But side effects wrought havoc on her mental health for three years. Last year, she had to make the impossible choice between her mental health and her physical health. And she's not alone. Hundreds of other people are having similar experiences and choosing to discontinue the medication.
So today, while other people reap the benefits of that therapy (which is amazing and we're THRILLED about it), we're waiting for the next drug that will hopefully provide physical relief without affecting mental well-being.
But I'll tell you what we all really need, and that is a cure.
I know that the world can feel like a dark place right now. We're all feeling anxieties from all directions. But I'll tell you that one thing we can all do to bring more light into the world during this "right now" is to help others. To love others.
I hope that you'll consider making a donation.
It has the potential to positively alter reality for people living with CF.
PLEASE CLICK DONATE and bring some beauty and love into the world!
Thank you for reading, and thank you for supporting Drew and me and the thousands affected by CF.
Be kind to each other!
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