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Each month through the end of the year, we’ll feature a special person or team who played an integral role in the 2010 Great Strides walks. We hope you’ll find this story, the ninth in the series, to be inspiring as we continue to make Great Strides in our efforts to find a cure for CF!
Katrina Young
The Young family shows off their San Diego Chargers spirit: Sean, 12, who has CF, little sisters Allison and Carolyn, and parents Katrina and Robert. |
Walk: Encinitas, Calif., Great Strides held May 2
Team: Sean’s SuperStriders, led by Sean, 12, who has CF, sisters Carolyn, 11, and Allison, 9, and parents Katrina and Robert Young
Impact: Raised more than $74,000 in 2010 to support the CF Foundation’s vital programs
Why I Walk
I walk because I’m a CF mom, and I will do everything I can to give my son Sean the best life possible.
When Sean was two years old, he was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. I knew nothing about the disease. My husband Robert, who was a medical resident at the time, looked over some outdated information that led us to believe Sean would only live into his twenties and would be plagued by illness his entire life.
Our entire outlook changed when we met with Dr. Michael Steffan, our CF doctor at The Children’s Medical Center of Dayton in Ohio, where Sean was diagnosed. He educated us about the disease, the research and the advancements in medicine and life expectancy.
From when we walked into that visit to when we walked out, we felt like completely different people. We knew we had every reason to believe that Sean could grow up and lead a very normal life.
I remember Dr. Steffan telling us: “Even though Sean has CF, all of your hopes and dreams for him can still come true.”
More than 200 people walked with Sean’s SuperStriders at this year’s Great Strides in Encinitas, Calif. “Standing with all these people when we took this photo was so overwhelming,” Katrina remembers. “How could you not be grateful for that much love?” |
What Makes Me ProudSean has an amazing sense of humor and a ton of energy. He loves playing all kinds of sports and is the number one Padres and Chargers fan in San Diego.
Sean likes being a big brother to Carolyn and Allison and helping younger kids, and he wants to be a doctor when he grows up, like his dad.
Tips for New Great Strides Teams
When you first start out, it can be awkward to ask people for money. But the more you ask, the more you’ll hear people say how happy they are to have the opportunity to help.
And that kind of feedback can give you the strength to put your heart out there a little bit more and slowly build your Great Strides walk and support each year.
Our first year, we had a handful of walkers and raised less than $1,000. Today we have well over 200 people walking with us, and our team has really taken off.
My Thanks
“When Sean sees all of his teachers, classmates, family members and friends walking with him, emotionally, it bolsters him up,” Katrina says. Here, Sean thanks everyone who came out to walk with him. |
Given the choice, I would never want CF to enter my life, and I can’t wait for there to be a cure. But in the meantime, I am grateful for the small gifts and opportunities it has given us.
CF has really highlighted how brave and strong Sean is, and his sisters are learning to be loving and caring.
The disease has also given us so many opportunities for people to show their love. We have the most amazing doctors and nurses at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego. And when Sean sees all of his teachers, classmates, family members and friends walking with him, emotionally, it bolsters him up.
Great Strides is always a bittersweet day for me. No mom wants to be in the position where your child’s future and health are not secure, yet it’s good to know you have people around you, helping you through it. You can’t fight this fight alone.
My Dream
We want to bring together every single person who has supported us over the years and go for a walk. Only this time, we wouldn’t be walking for CF—we would be celebrating the cure.
Additional Resources
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