We seem to luck out every year with beautiful weather for the Cystic Fibrosis Great Strides Walk in Minneapolis.  Always around Lake Calhoun, I’ve been covering this event for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation since 2011 and I think there was only one year where the weather was cold and rainy.  It never stops anyone from attending, though!  This is one of the biggest events held nationwide for the foundation and it’s always a huge success.  In fact, they run two events in the Twin Cities.  There is another one in St. Paul, as well.

A big thanks to all of the sponsors who support and attend these events.  Without them the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation wouldn’t be advancing as they are with the new drugs that are helping Cystic Fibrosis patients, like my son, each and every year live a longer and fuller life.  The median age has risen 6 years since my son was diagnosed 6 years ago, from 37 to 43.  We’re very, very hopeful this number will continue to rise, or better yet a cure is found, and my son will never have to worry about his life expectancy as he gets older.

We’ve been very, very blessed with Kyle’s health.  He’s never once been hospitalized and has only needed antibiotics once when he got a nasty chest cold last Christmas.  Other than that, his weight and lung function have both remained high.  As he enters Kindergarten this year, I’m keeping my fingers crossed he stays healthy and can stay in public school for as long as possible.  It’s not completely out of our minds, that he may not be able to keep up in public school if he gets sick too often.  Homeschooling is not completely out of the question, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.

If you would like to donate to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, you can do that directly on their website, or you can purchase my Minneapolis Skyline over Lake Calhoun photo, taken at the walk in 2011.  All proceeds go directly to the foundation. 🙂

Walgreens

Vertex Pharmaceuticals

ZenPep

Aptalis – ScandiShake (my son lives off these, literally)

Minnesota Vikings

Children’s Respiratory and Critical Care at Children’s Hospital Minneapolis

Jet’s Pizza – big shout out for the donation of ALL the pizza for the walkers!

Thanks to all who participate and donated!  Looking forward to another great walk in 2016!!