It has been a few years but Team Take It Away is back in the fight to help find a cure for cystic fibrosis.  If you have landed on this page, you probably know a little about our story, or at least know that I have two daughters with cystic fibrosis (CF) but for those who don't, I will share a little more about what CF is, how it affects our family, and why this walk is so important to us.
 

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease that affects chloride transfer in the body which changes the cells ability to bring water to the cell surface. This affects every system in the body but most significantly impacts the lungs and digestive system. In the lungs, respiratory secretions and mucous are thicker and stickier and more difficult to clear. When mucous sticks around in the airways, it can attract bacteria leading to chronic infections and inflammation which, over time, can impair the lungs ability to function properly. CF also impairs digestion due to the inability of the pancreas to release digestive enzymes that aid in digestion and absorption of key nutrients. Therefore, people with CF often have GI issues and have trouble gaining and maintaining a healthy weight. Most people with CF, including both of my children, are pancreatic insufficient and must take a large number of pills called enzymes every time they eat in order to properly digest and absorb their food. 
 

When my first born daughter was just 2 weeks old, we came face to face with a whole new meaning of CF. It was no longer just something I learned in nursing school or took care of in the hospital, it quickly became a very consuming part of my life and tangled deeply into my heart. No amount of book knowledge could prepare me for what it means to raise a child with a chronic, progressive, and incurable illness. At the time of her birth in 2011, we were told the life expectancy of child with CF was in the early 30s. This was a very hard pill to swallow and even though, we never let that fear consume us and we never accepted that to be true for our child, the thought of it has always lived somewhere in the background. 

The good news, however, is that because of the INCREDIBLE work of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and fundraisers just like this one, great strides have been made to improve the lives of those with CF. Over the course of the past 14 years since we have been on this journey, we have seen the development of a number of life-changing therapies that have drastically improved the life-expectancy for many battling this disease. And as grateful as we are for how these therapies have benefited our children, we know that many aren't as fortunate. CF affects everyone differently and some of these life-saving therapies aren't available for everyone.