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.