Twenty-six years ago, on May 5 (Cinco de Mayo), our daughter Mackenzie was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF). Since that day, my wife and I have been deeply involved with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, working to raise awareness and fund critical research.

Thanks to the generosity of friends, family, and thousands of supporters, remarkable progress has been made. The median life expectancy for people with CF has increased dramatically, rising from just 30 years to 65 years. That progress is nothing short of extraordinary.

For Mackenzie, the introduction of Trikafta several years ago was truly life changing. In many ways, it felt like a miracle drug. For the first time, she could take deep, cleansing breaths. She gained weight, experienced a dramatic increase in energy, and began to feel healthier than she ever had before.

With this new lease on life and the realization that she now had the opportunity to build a future she once could only hope for, Mackenzie pursued her dream of becoming a nurse. She graduated from nursing school and now serves as a pediatric nurse in Colorado Springs, caring for others every day.

Because of the tremendous advances made possible through CF research, she has been given the opportunity and blessing to make a meaningful difference in the lives of so many people. As Clarence says in It's a Wonderful Life, “Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives.”

We are deeply grateful for the future and opportunities your support has given Mackenzie and countless others living with CF. We humbly ask for your continued support as we work toward the day when CF stands for Cure Found.

Any donation, no matter the size, is greatly appreciated.

With gratitude and love,

 Kym and Joe