Tag: Cystic Fibrosis

Folks,

As many of you know, our daughter Katie has Cystic Fibrosis. Katie was diagnosed with CF on September 30 2008. She was 17 months old at the time.

On Sunday May 27 2012, Cystic Fibrosis Canada will be hosting the annual Great Strides walk for cystic fibrosis. We will be walking and invite you to join us for this annual event.

CF, which affects the lungs and the digestive system, is the most common, fatal, genetic disease affecting Canadian children and young adults. Forty years ago, most children with CF did not live long enough to attend kindergarten. Today, half of Canadians with CF are expected to live into their 40s and beyond.

While life span has improved for patients with CF, quality of life is still an issue. Daily treatments, medication, clinic visits and health challenges are always present. When Katie is healthy, we do two treatment sessions a day with her. When she is sick (cold, flu, etc.), we do three or four treatment sessions each day with her.

Here’s a brief list of her regular medicine intake and treatment regimen:
– approx 30 pills a day (enzymes – they help Katie digest food);
– vitamin supplements;
– 2 to 4 Pediasure nutrition supplement drinks each day;
– Nebulizer + medicine – basically, a mist mask that Katie wears twice a day for 20 minutes each time;
– Percussion treatment – 20 minutes of hitting her chest and back – twice a day;
– Inhaled antibiotics – she’s been on this medicine pretty much non-stop for the last 6 months;

Plus, the following “specialty items” when she is sick with a cold, flu or other sickness:
– Oral antibiotics;
– Additional medicine in her nebulizer from time to time as her health dictates;
– Additional nebulizer and percussion treatment – typically 3 or 4 treatment sessions a day when she’s sick;

Please watch our Great Strides 2012 video, which provides a window into our world:

Each year, on the last Sunday in May, friends, family and co-workers of people with cystic fibrosis participate in “Great Strides”, which is Cystic Fibrosis Canada’s largest national fundraising event. Walk with us on Sunday May 27 2012.

To assist, you can:
1. Donate money;
2. Donate and/or collect pledges and Walk with us on Sunday May 27; and/or
3. Recruit others to join us in this fundraising event;

To join our team, “Team Katie”, and walk with us on May 27 at Safari Niagara in Stevensville, click here: Join Team Katie

To sponsor us directly in our fundraising efforts for Team Katie, click here: Sponsor Team Katie

We thank you for your support. Our wish is that one day, CF will stand for “Cure Found”.

Thanks!

Todd, Julie, Noah, Katie & Riley Dow

To all Team Katie supporters,

Thank you so much for your generous contributions to Team Katie in support of the 2011 Great Strides fundraiser. We continue to be overwhelmed by the tremendous outpouring of generosity and encouragement that we’ve received from you, our friends, as we do what we can to help find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis.

This annual fundraiser has been a huge motivator for us. In many ways, we feel powerless to help Katie. Our fundraising efforts have been one of the key ways that we’ve had to focus our energy in a positive way to help Katie live a long, healthy life. The funds that we raise are efficiently used to support CF patients and to help find a cure.

Some numbers from today:
Total money raised for the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation = $1,961,608+
Total money raised for the Niagara-Hamilton Great Strides Walk = $107,686
Total money raised for Team Katie = $17,154
Total sponsors for Team Katie = 243
Total Team Katie walkers today = 80

You can see a slideshow of some pics from this weekend’s event here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/toddhdow/sets/72157626383527816/show/

And, the complete flickr photo stream of the event is located here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/toddhdow/sets/72157626383527816/

Your monetary contributions have been a huge source of inspiration for us and we thank you for that. Not only are you helping fund the fight to beat CF, but each of you have also given our family a boost – we live with CF on a daily basis. We try not to get down, and most of the time, we’re okay. But, sometimes it all catches up with us. The weight of a fatal disease in the family makes for some grim thoughts from time to time. But, we feel comfort knowing that we have so many friends that support us and rally behind us in this cause.

To everyone that has helped us this year, we thank you. Each of you, in contributing your time, money, thoughts and prayers are helping to save Katie’s life. And for that, we are eternally grateful.

Much love,

Todd, Julie, Noah, Katie & Riley