My Breathe Team Story
Heather Kafer
Fundraising for Disneyland® Halloween Half Marathon Weekend
Heather Kafer
At the age of 22, after a lifetime of illness, I was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. As a child, it primarily affected my pancreas, and then at age 35, my lungs started to decline.
When I was diagnosed, the median age for CF, was 30. Today thanks to incredible advancements in medical research and funding from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, babies born in the past few years with CF, are expected to live up to 60! Sadly, there are still so many people with CF who will never reach that age. Every day, the CF Foundation is working on new medications, treatments and striving toward hopefully someday, finding a cure!
I have spent my entire life on so many medications every day, lung treatments, CF modulators, restricted diet, and suffering from severe anxiety and panic attacks. CF is heartbreaking and debilitating, but those of us with it, are strong and determined and hopeful.
On September 6, 2025, I will be running alongside my amazing family in the Disneyland 10k to raise money for cystic fibrosis. Not only does it fill my heart with such joy to run with my husband and kids, and to help raise funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the very organization who pays the salaries of my CF doctors, funds research for new medications that have changed my life, and all of the incredible support that they provide for everyone with CF and their families, but having this incredible goal of training to run a 10k race, 6.2 miles, with cystic fibrosis, is keeping me healthier and stronger, every day!!
Thank you to everyone who is helping us to reach our goal. I can't tell you how much it means to me! Every step we run, brings us closer to CF standing for CURE FOUND!
When I was diagnosed, the median age for CF, was 30. Today thanks to incredible advancements in medical research and funding from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, babies born in the past few years with CF, are expected to live up to 60! Sadly, there are still so many people with CF who will never reach that age. Every day, the CF Foundation is working on new medications, treatments and striving toward hopefully someday, finding a cure!
I have spent my entire life on so many medications every day, lung treatments, CF modulators, restricted diet, and suffering from severe anxiety and panic attacks. CF is heartbreaking and debilitating, but those of us with it, are strong and determined and hopeful.
On September 6, 2025, I will be running alongside my amazing family in the Disneyland 10k to raise money for cystic fibrosis. Not only does it fill my heart with such joy to run with my husband and kids, and to help raise funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the very organization who pays the salaries of my CF doctors, funds research for new medications that have changed my life, and all of the incredible support that they provide for everyone with CF and their families, but having this incredible goal of training to run a 10k race, 6.2 miles, with cystic fibrosis, is keeping me healthier and stronger, every day!!
Thank you to everyone who is helping us to reach our goal. I can't tell you how much it means to me! Every step we run, brings us closer to CF standing for CURE FOUND!
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