Life Long Cure...

This past Saturday I had the pleasure of attending the Metro Detroit/Northwest Ohio CFF Chapter Awards Banquet. Each year we are given a State of the Union if you will, on The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. For the second time in my life I saw the words, Life Long Cure on a slide show presentation and before I could even finish listening to the speaker a flow of tears streamed down my face. Even now, just thinking about those words just gives me chills. Maybe I’m so moved by those words because I don’t dwell about Sal’s future. I find myself dealing with day to day situations and living in the present. I’m sure professionals would call this some sort of defense mechanism and I’m okay with that. The reality is, a Life Long Cure is in the CF pipeline! When Sal was diagnosed with CF the majority of the medications dealt with the symptoms of the disease. Today the drug discovery and development is accelerating the search for a cure. With the support from the Foundation’s nonprofit drug discovery and development affiliate, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics Inc. (CFFT), scientist and clinicians have expanded our understanding of how different CF mutations cause distinct problems and now are making great progress on many fronts to tackle these challenges. At the same time, the Foundation continues to explore innovative strategies to help people living with CF manage the symptoms of their disease, and it has expanded its clinical trials initiative to speed development of promising new CF therapies and get them swiftly into the hands of those who need them. 14 years ago, when we started on this fundraising journey, Rick and I were adamant that Sal’s survival and quality of life would depend on new medications, new treatments and tackling CF from all angles. The CF Foundation is doing exactly that and Sal’s health has continued to directly benefit from the treatments and advancements in medications that have been available to him. So well, that he just finished up his first year of high school football and is currently running up and down the court on his high school basketball team. (I guess I should say he scores a few baskets too). Saturday April 30th of 2016 Sal’s Pals will continue to support The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation by hosting our 14th Annual Sal’s Pals Dinner and Auction. I hope all of you will join in our fight by supporting this years event! Until there's a cure, Jenny