Great Strides 2011 - We're going to BLOW CF AWAY!

Dear Family and Friends,

It's that time again! Please consider joining us for the annual Great Strides event in Birmingham, AL on May 14, 2011. Our goal this year is a simple one ... it's all about BREATHING EASIER! GREAT STRIDES is the CF Foundation’s biggest fundraiser and provides us an opportunity to help make a difference in the lives of those with Cystic Fibrosis.

Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic, life-threatening disease that affects approximately 30,000 children and adults in the United States. According to the CF Foundation’s National Patient Registry, the median age of survival for a person with CF is now approaching 37 years.

Advances continue to be made in finding a cure, but your help is needed to help keep up the momentum of this life-saving research. I know that the last few years have been hard on many, but I hope that you will be able to help us raise money for a cure. Remember, every donation - large or small - goes towards supporting the Foundation's goal of finding new & novel therapies for CF patients. As you may know, the CF Foundation receives no government funding. Therefore, the funds that you donate go directly to helping us find a cure.

This year, I will be walking with the other members of the UAB Adult CF Team, with a goal of raising at least $3,000 by May 14, 2011 in Birmingham, AL. With that in mind, please save the date in your calendar! Plan on joining the members of the UAB Adult CF Team for food, fun, and music at Veteran's Park in Birmingham (Hoover), AL. I know this year’s goal can be met with your help!

If you would like to participate in the walk, you can log on to my website at: http://www.cff.org/great_strides/BrandiThorpe.  If you have any problems registering online, please let me know and I will be happy to process your registration manually. You can reach me via e-mail at bankrgrl -@- gmail.com

If you can't join us for the walk, please consider making a donation. Donations are accepted online, through a secure server, provided by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Just click the "Donate Now" button on my blog to make a donation that will be credited to our team. Any amount you can donate is greatly appreciated!

I look forward to seeing all of you who participated last year and hopefully a few new faces. Please help this be an outstanding year ~ let's start taking GREAT STRIDES to cure CF.

Thank you!!!

Great Strides Report & T-Shirts!

Just wanted to report that the UAB Adult CF Team had an amazing 2010, turning in more than $4100 at our event last Saturday.  We've had a few more donations since then, but I am ecstatic about what we pulled off this year.

The weather was beautiful (a bit hot) and we FINALLY had a year with no rain in the forecast.  What could make our weekend any better?  The fact that the Alabama Chapter raised over $139,000 for CF research this year!!!

Like many other teams, we've been selling t-shirts to help meet our fundraising goal.  Our shirts turned out great this year and I have a few extra that are available.

(back of shirt)

(front of shirt)

T-shirts are available in short sleeve or long sleeve.  As of May 28th, I only have five shirts left, but if enough requests are received (minimum of 12), additional shirts can be ordered.

Sizes Available:

• 1 Medium (Short Sleeve)
• 2 Large (Long Sleeve)
• 1 X-Large (Short Sleeve)
• 1 XX-Large (Long Sleeve)

Shirts are $15 (including shipping) and payable by cash, check or via Paypal (e-mail me for instructions).

The above pictures are the artist's rendering.  I'll take a few pics of an available shirt and post this evening.

Join the UAB Adult CF Team for Great Strides '10!

Please consider joining the UAB Adult CF Team for the annual Great Strides event in Birmingham, AL on May 22, 2010. Our focus for this year is to remind us that "Every Breath Is A Gift." GREAT STRIDES is the CF Foundation’s biggest fundraiser and provides us an opportunity to help make a difference in the lives of those with Cystic Fibrosis.

Advances continue to be made in finding a cure, but your help is needed now - more than ever - to help keep up the momentum of this life-saving research. As you may know, the CF Foundation receives no government funding. Therefore, the funds that we raise go directly to helping us find a cure.

Last year the UAB Adult CF Team raised over $6,300.

This year, I would love for you to walk with me and the other members of the UAB Adult CF Team, with a goal of raising at least $5,000 by May 22, 2010 in Birmingham, AL.

I know this year’s goal can be met with your help! Remember, every dollar that you raise is used efficiently and effectively. Each contribution is tax-deductible and goes directly toward supporting research and specialized care that improves the quality of life for those with CF.

If you would like to join the team, log on to my website. If you have any problems registering, please let me know and I will be happy to process your registration manually. You can reach me via e-mail at bankrgrl -at- gmail -dot- com. Once you are registered, the next step is the easiest - get out there and fund raise, fund raise, fund raise!

I look forward to seeing all of you who participated last year and hopefully a few new faces. Please feel free to share this e-mail with others. Help this be an outstanding year ~ let's start taking GREAT STRIDES to cure CF.

Great Strides 2010 - Let's Get This Party Started!

Dear Family and Friends,

It is that time of year again! Please consider joining us for the annual Great Strides event in Birmingham, AL. Our focus for this year is to help remind us all that "Every Breath Is A Gift."

GREAT STRIDES is the CF Foundation’s biggest fundraiser and provides us an opportunity to help make a difference in the lives of those with Cystic Fibrosis.

Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic, life-threatening disease that affects approximately 30,000 children and adults in the United States. According to the CF Foundation’s National Patient Registry, the median age of survival for a person with CF is now approaching 37 years. Sadly though, too many young children die before having the opportunity to live to this "ripe old age."

Advances continue to be made in finding a cure, but your help is needed now - more than ever - to help keep up the momentum of this life-saving research. With the knowledge that the past few years have been a struggle for many Americans, please accept this as my plea to you to help us raise money for a cure. Every dollar and cent count, no matter the amount. As you may know, the CF Foundation receives no government funding. Therefore, the funds that you donate go directly to helping us find a cure.

I know, personally, what it is like to live with this devastating disease. After spending the better part of 2009 (86 days) and just completing my first 21 day stay of 2010 in the hospital, I find myself energized and ready to get the word out about "SixtyFive Roses." While I am, fortunately, strong enough to endure the many necessary treatments that CF patients need daily to survive, I also face the reality that my lungs won't work forever, and I may, one day, need a lung transplant. I take comfort in the fact that I am currently seen by the UAB Adult CF Team in Birmingham, AL. In addition to having some of the best doctors and nurses available, there is an amazing amount of research being done right here on our own doorstep.

GREAT STRIDES is the Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Foundation’s largest and most successful national fund-raising event. Last year the UAB Adult CF Team raised over $6,300. This year, I will be walking with the other members of the UAB Adult CF Team, with a goal of raising at least $5,000 by May 22, 2010 in Birmingham, AL.

With that in mind, please save the date of May 22, 2010 in your calendar! Plan on joining the members of the UAB Adult CF Team for food, fun, and music at Veteran's Park in Birmingham (Hoover), AL. I know this year’s goal can be met with your help! You will feel confident in knowing that your generous gift is used efficiently and effectively. Your tax-deductible contribution goes directly toward supporting research and specialized care that improves the quality of life for those with CF.

If you would like to participate in the actual walk, you can log on to my Great Strides website. You can also click through the link displayed on my blog. If you have any problems registering online, please let me know and I will be happy to process your registration manually. You can reach me via e-mail at bankrgrl -at- gmail -dot- com. Once you are registered, the next step is the easiest - get out there and fund raise, fund raise, fund raise!

Donations are accepted online, through a secure server, provided by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Just click the "Click to Donate" button on this page to make a donation that will be credited to our team. Any amount you can donate is greatly appreciated! Alternately, you can also mail a check made payable to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation or to the UAB Adult CF Team.

I look forward to seeing all of you who participated last year and hopefully a few new faces. Please help this be an outstanding year ~ let's start taking GREAT STRIDES to cure CF.

With many thanks!

Great Strides 2009 - Walk Pictures

Even though it was rainy and wet, our 2009 Great Strides event was a success. We had a great turnout of close to 300 people this year.

Our total raised this year is a little over $126,000. The UAB Adult CF Team turned in over $6000 this year (I am waiting for our final totals and will post soon).

Thanks to all of my team members this year (you know who you are!). You guys did a fantabulous job in helping bring awareness to CF.

Below are a few pictures that I took at the walk:



All of these pics were taken on my iPhone as I (once again) forgot to bring my camera.

There's definitely something wrong with me.

Well, other than the fact that I have ANOTHER sinus infection. But whatever. On to more important things.

I was domestic today. I ...

[drumroll, please]

cooked.

My culinary masterpiece? Toasted almond rice pilaf. Yes, oh yes, I COOKED.

It wasn't bad, if I do say so myself. And in case you are wondering ... the fact that I cooked is definitely a blog-worthy event.

P.S. GREAT STRIDES is this weekend!!!

P.P.S. The fact that the rice pilaf was the only edible thing in my house was NOT the reason why I cooked it. I swear.

Weekend Fun & Manic Monday

What I wrote to my boss on Friday morning:

Subject: Sick

I woke up with a terrible sore throat, sinus headache, and fever this morning. I think maybe the antibiotics are kicking in and working but whatever it's fighting is having one last hurrah.

What a difference a day makes! After spending Friday snuggling with the boo's and resting, I felt better on Saturday. In fact, I dragged Alex out of bed shortly after 11 AM and made him go shopping with me. In concession, I did agree to see a movie with him, which makes up only one of the many that I owe him. =)

We saw Obsessed on Saturday afternoon, after enjoying milkshakes and cheese fries from Johnny Rockets. Obsessed is "perhaps the 105th blatant rip-off of 'Fatal Attraction', but not without its own guilty pleasures." That's a pretty accurate review. Not a bad flick, but definitely not on the "must-see" or "must-have" list. It was very suspenseful and the cat fight at the end almost made it worth it.

Saturday night was our "traditional" birthday dinner at Outback. I think the reason we go is for the free desserts. Happy Birthday to my Dad and to Papa! I managed to remember the presents, but as usual, my scatter-brained self walked out without the birthday cards that I spent a GOOD five minutes looking for. Oh well!

I intended for Sunday to be a lazy day and for the most part it was. We went to the Original Pancake House in 5 Points for Dad's birthday lunch and it was so-so-so-so good! I'm not normally a breakfast person but those were some of the best pancakes I've had in awhile. After that we did a Sunday afternoon drive through Highland looking at all of the old houses and gardens. I spent the rest of the afternoon finishing up a new book (The Shadow Queen) that Alex bought me for my birthday (yes, my birthday was a month ago ... but, turn about is fair play. I ordered his birthday present and it was almost a month late, so he returned the favor).

I am on Day 5 of my Levaquin prescription and I can honestly say this is the first time I remember taking an oral antibiotic and actually feeling like it was working. My sinus congestion is much less than it was - although it's not gone by any means - and I am feeling slightly more energetic than I have in the past two weeks. I am now officially six weeks out from my last hospital visit. Here's to six more!!!

This should be a pretty busy week at work. Case wise we are doing great ... caught up and actually working ahead right now, but that never seems to last long. My direct manager, Lynda, will be in town from Arizona this week, which means lots of lunches and dinners with the work folks.

Great Strides is coming up quicker than I realized! We are only a few short weeks away. I haven't gotten as much support from the hospital as I would have liked, but I realize that they have been busy with Joint Commission reviews. My team has done an absolutely amazing job with donations this year. I am really excited about how close we are to our totals from last year. We are still about a thousand dollars away from what we raised last year, but we also had our biggest donations in our last big push as well. We will be selling t-shirts again this year, and I am hoping to get a proof of the design sometime this week.

Enough for now. I need to actually get some work done sometime today!