My Great Strides Story
Kimberly Schulte
Fundraising for West Suburban Great Strides
Kimberly Schulte
There is currently no cure for cystic fibrosis and too many people with CF die young. I’m walking to help change that reality. Please join me in supporting my friend Mandy. Her story is below.
If you don't donate, I will die...
A bit harsh for a welcome message right? Don't worry, I don't plan on dying anytime soon. But the reality is that the CF foundation depends on donations to continue funding their research. And research is the reason I am still alive and am continuing to do so well.
I was first diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at 6 months old. Cystic fibrosis is a progressive, genetic disease that affects the lungs, pancreas, and other organs.
Back in 2012, I was one of a small percentage of patients able to start taking the new medication Kalydeco. This drug was a game changer for the 4-5% of CFers with the G551D mutation. For me, it stopped my lungs from further scarring, helped me gain weight, and alleviated the constant coughing especially at night. While not exactly a cure, it helped me feel the most normal I had ever felt in my life. Before Kalydeco, I was in and out of the hospital multiples times a year. After taking it, I was down to once a year tune-ups.
Flash forward to 2020, and I am put on a new drug called Trikafta or the "miracle cure". Once again, I was able to gain more weight and drop down to once a day treatments, but for me it is not the cure. I was also out of the hospital for a few years! And for that I am grateful, but there are side effects to all of these drugs and it's not like my CF disappears.
This is why funding for research is so important especially in today's climate. Funding for research is being cut and that is detrimental to people like me. We are still hoping and waiting for a cure, but that isn't going to come if we stop looking for it. Please help me by donating or even sharing my story. Most of you have helped me so much over the years and I truly appreciate it.
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.
If you don't donate, I will die...
A bit harsh for a welcome message right? Don't worry, I don't plan on dying anytime soon. But the reality is that the CF foundation depends on donations to continue funding their research. And research is the reason I am still alive and am continuing to do so well.
I was first diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at 6 months old. Cystic fibrosis is a progressive, genetic disease that affects the lungs, pancreas, and other organs.
Back in 2012, I was one of a small percentage of patients able to start taking the new medication Kalydeco. This drug was a game changer for the 4-5% of CFers with the G551D mutation. For me, it stopped my lungs from further scarring, helped me gain weight, and alleviated the constant coughing especially at night. While not exactly a cure, it helped me feel the most normal I had ever felt in my life. Before Kalydeco, I was in and out of the hospital multiples times a year. After taking it, I was down to once a year tune-ups.
Flash forward to 2020, and I am put on a new drug called Trikafta or the "miracle cure". Once again, I was able to gain more weight and drop down to once a day treatments, but for me it is not the cure. I was also out of the hospital for a few years! And for that I am grateful, but there are side effects to all of these drugs and it's not like my CF disappears.
This is why funding for research is so important especially in today's climate. Funding for research is being cut and that is detrimental to people like me. We are still hoping and waiting for a cure, but that isn't going to come if we stop looking for it. Please help me by donating or even sharing my story. Most of you have helped me so much over the years and I truly appreciate it.
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.
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