Dear Family and Friends,

It’s time to get on your bike and raise money for a cure for Cystic Fibrosis.

That’s right! It’s CF Cycle For Life time!

This year our fundraising ride is Saturday August 15th, starting and ending at John’s Park Rodeo Grounds in Henefer, Utah.  It will feature the same scenic route as years past with various distances from 10 to 100 miles for riders of every level.  All riders and types of bikes are welcome- from the serious athlete to the casual E- biker.  The ride is fully supported with well stocked rest stops every 10- 12 miles and on-route support teams all along the way. A tasty lunch and cold beverages are there for you at the finish.

We promise an amazing day with vigorous (or not too vigorous) exercise, beautiful scenery, and delicious food. But even more important is the amazing feeling of doing something for someone else- raising money to improve and lengthen the lives of those living with Cystic Fibrosis.

We are riding in honor of our 27-year-old niece and cousin, Lilly Gmelich. She was diagnosed with CF at birth and has bravely battled the disease ever since, undergoing daily breathing treatments, taking multiple medications, and enduring frequent hospitalizations. Today, she’s a USC graduate living and working in New York City, doing her best to live life to the fullest. For the past 6.5 years, she has been on a life-changing medication called Trikafta. This medication would not be possible without the generous donations of people like you. It has helped her reach her healthiest state yet—but she still faces daily challenges and continues to fight to stay well.

We remain committed to finding a cure for her—and for all CF patients.  Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disease that affects about 40,000 people in the U.S. It is the most common life-shortening genetic disease among Caucasians, and currently, there is still no cure.

Even with today’s advancements, the average child with CF still spends two to eight weeks in the hospital each year and must follow an intensive daily regimen that includes breathing treatments, chest physiotherapy, inhalers, feeding tubes, and digestive enzymes. Fortunately, the median life expectancy has now reached over 60 years, and more than half of CF patients are adults—an incredible milestone. Yet sadly, we continue to lose patients every day.

So please join us on Saturday August 15th and ride for a cure!

If you can’t ride with us on August 15th, you can still make a difference by donating to Team Lilly and being a partner in the fight against CF. We appreciate anything you can give- nothing is too big or too small.

We thank you for your generosity and support.  We could not have made this incredible progress without you.

With gratitude,

Anne, Brent, Kyle, Erin, and Grace Baranko