Our daughter, Caitlin, as you know, has CF and is now living in Perry Hall, MD and is busy with her life.  I thought I would share with you a message she is sharing this year in her, and our, efforts to raise funds to fight CF. This is why we keep fighting...
 

"When I was born, the average life expectancy for someone with CF was just 13 years old. That’s middle school. Growing up, I spent a lot of time in and out of the hospital. I did two breathing treatments a day, each about an hour, took 30 to 40 pills daily, and watched friends undergo lung transplants or, unfortunately, pass away far too young. My lung function dropped as low as 56%. I lived with a constant fear of time running out. If you want to know what it feels like to have low lung function, try breathing through a straw. That’s what it feels like to breathe on a daily basis with CF.

In 2019, everything changed and many of my prayers were answered. A new medication called Trikafta was approved. Within weeks of starting it, my lung function jumped 38%, eventually reaching 106%, the highest it’s ever been. For the first time, I could breathe freely. And because of that, I was able to do something I never thought possible: I became a mom. Today, my husband and I have two healthy kids, Liam, age 5 and Lucy, age 3, and because of the kindness of donors like you, they have a healthy mom. Your donations have helped the advances in treatment which have increased the average life expectancy for people with CF. It is now 65. But our mission isn’t over. Trikafta, unfortunately, doesn’t work for everyone, about 10% of people with CF still don’t have a treatment that works for their mutation.

If you ever wonder whether your donation makes a difference I am here to tell you, it does. I’m living, breathing proof that it does! You’ve changed my life! Together, we can keep pushing forward until CF stands for Cure Found."

Our dream is that one day Caitlin, and all others with this disease, will no longer have to spend any time doing the treatments that give them breath, and extra days. Drugs, like Trikafta, and therapeutic advances that have been achieved since her birth have been miraculous and are the direct result of the generosity of our friends and family who have joined the Crew in the past. However, 10% of those with CF have NO therapeutic drugs to help them live healthier lives. That is why we want to find the cure!! We want CF to stand for CURE FOUND! We will keep fighting until it's done!

This year, Caitlin and the Breslin Family are walking in our local Great Strides walk on May 9th in Hagerstown and we, once again, seek your help to meet our fundraising goal. Also, we are asking our National team friends and family who traditionally walk in sites in Annapolis, MD, Philadelphia, PA and New Orleans, LA, to join our efforts by participating in their Chapter's events. Last year, we raised over $75,000+ in this overall team effort so we have a real challenge to surpass this amount!!!