My Great Strides Story
Sue Stayton
Fundraising for Gateway Chapter Great Strides
Sue Stayton
The 2025 Great Strides walk marks The Stayton Striders' 34th year fundraising for Cystic Fibrosis! We walk in memory of my youngest daughter, Tia Stayton.
Tia never let Cystic Fibrosis define her. To her, it was just a nuisance part of her life. She was so much more! Tia was a daughter, a sister, an aunt (her very favorite role), a niece, cousin and best friend. Tia loved fiercely and embraced life at full speed.
Tia battled Cystic Fibrosis her entire life. She spent her first week of life in SSM Cardinal Glennon Hospital and was diagnosed at two weeks old. Tia had mild illness we could treat at home until she turned 16; 2007 was her first hospital admission and the year she developed CF related diabetes. In 2009 Tia became gravely ill and began frequent hospital stays. By the end of '09 (at age 18) she was facing the most tumultuous time of her life. Tia was admitted to the hospital on December 30th 2009. Her lung function was barely at 40%. It was decided the best option for Tia to be able to get healthy was to remove her upper right lung lobe. Tia had surgery on January 13th, 2010. The lung surgery was by far the scariest hurdle to come our way thus far. What was supposed to be a 3-4 hour surgery, turned into 7 agonizing hours. We nearly lost Tia during the operation. By God’s good grace, He decided Tia still has work to do on earth. She spent a total of 24 days in the hospital during this admittance.
She had about a year and a half of significantly improved health and lung function. The beginning of 2012 Tia began declining again adding CF related liver disease to her issues. Her hospitalizations became even more frequent, and home I.V. treatments became just part of our daily routine. Throughout all of this, Tia persevered. She continued to work part-time, hang out with friends and go to college full-time.
After Tia passed away on November 25, 2013 (at age 23), I found an email she wrote to a professor. She was asking for extra credit assignments to salvage her grade. The email was dated five days before she departed for heaven. Tia was an incredibly determined person, who loved life and most of all her family.
There is currently no cure for cystic fibrosis and too many people with CF die young. I’m walking to help change that reality.
CF is a genetic, life-shortening disease that devastates the lungs, pancreas, and other vital organs. CF makes it difficult to breathe and fight life-threatening infections, often leading to extensive lung damage and respiratory failure. It is an extremely complex disease; the types and severity of symptoms can differ widely from one person to the next. This disease is unpredictable and overwhelming. The lives of CF patients can be vastly different. There are some that live far into adulthood with minor health issues; some require lung or liver transplants in order to continue living, and some, like my daughter have their life end far too soon.
Will you help us end cystic fibrosis?
By donating to my fundraising goal, you have the power to advance the research and science needed to drive our shared dream forward – a cure for everyone with CF.
The Stayton family sincerely appreciates your donation!
Tia Stayton 11/09/1990 - 11/25/2013
Tia never let Cystic Fibrosis define her. To her, it was just a nuisance part of her life. She was so much more! Tia was a daughter, a sister, an aunt (her very favorite role), a niece, cousin and best friend. Tia loved fiercely and embraced life at full speed.
Tia battled Cystic Fibrosis her entire life. She spent her first week of life in SSM Cardinal Glennon Hospital and was diagnosed at two weeks old. Tia had mild illness we could treat at home until she turned 16; 2007 was her first hospital admission and the year she developed CF related diabetes. In 2009 Tia became gravely ill and began frequent hospital stays. By the end of '09 (at age 18) she was facing the most tumultuous time of her life. Tia was admitted to the hospital on December 30th 2009. Her lung function was barely at 40%. It was decided the best option for Tia to be able to get healthy was to remove her upper right lung lobe. Tia had surgery on January 13th, 2010. The lung surgery was by far the scariest hurdle to come our way thus far. What was supposed to be a 3-4 hour surgery, turned into 7 agonizing hours. We nearly lost Tia during the operation. By God’s good grace, He decided Tia still has work to do on earth. She spent a total of 24 days in the hospital during this admittance.
She had about a year and a half of significantly improved health and lung function. The beginning of 2012 Tia began declining again adding CF related liver disease to her issues. Her hospitalizations became even more frequent, and home I.V. treatments became just part of our daily routine. Throughout all of this, Tia persevered. She continued to work part-time, hang out with friends and go to college full-time.
After Tia passed away on November 25, 2013 (at age 23), I found an email she wrote to a professor. She was asking for extra credit assignments to salvage her grade. The email was dated five days before she departed for heaven. Tia was an incredibly determined person, who loved life and most of all her family.
There is currently no cure for cystic fibrosis and too many people with CF die young. I’m walking to help change that reality.
CF is a genetic, life-shortening disease that devastates the lungs, pancreas, and other vital organs. CF makes it difficult to breathe and fight life-threatening infections, often leading to extensive lung damage and respiratory failure. It is an extremely complex disease; the types and severity of symptoms can differ widely from one person to the next. This disease is unpredictable and overwhelming. The lives of CF patients can be vastly different. There are some that live far into adulthood with minor health issues; some require lung or liver transplants in order to continue living, and some, like my daughter have their life end far too soon.
Will you help us end cystic fibrosis?
By donating to my fundraising goal, you have the power to advance the research and science needed to drive our shared dream forward – a cure for everyone with CF.
The Stayton family sincerely appreciates your donation!
Tia Stayton 11/09/1990 - 11/25/2013
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