Great Strides

(A repost of the letter sent out to my donors today)

To Everyone Who Donated to Great Strides,

Thank you so much! I have been so touched by the friends, family, and strangers who have donated. When I set my goal at $1,000 before starting my fundraising, I doubted I would be able to make my goal. Soon however, I found donations rolling in quickly. I optimistically upped my goal to $1,500, thinking that I would be amazed if I got there. After a very generous donation, the $1,500 goal was left in the dust. I pushed my goal up to $2,500, and I'm proud to say this week I hit it. With my teammates bringing in nearly an additional $500, we were the top team in the Eugene walk yesterday, with nearly 40% of the total funds raised coming directly from my team.

CFF is a passionate cause for me. Because of the research they have funded, I've lived long enough to see the standard of care for a CF patient go up. In my lifetime, the life expectancy of a CF patient has nearly doubled. 37 years may not sound like much, but it is a huge leap from the 18-21 years that was average when I was diagnosed... and the Kindergarten life expectancy of someone born with CF before 1970. We still have a long way to go, but through donations like yours, awareness that I know has been generated, and working together, we are getting there.

Again thank you. You do not know how much your donation meant to me. The pride I feel when I know how many people are willing to stand beside me and fight for a cure.

Until CF stands for Cure Found,

Talana