Spring 2009

It’s been a year of sorrow and joy. Our sweet, vivacious friend, just eight years old, died from cystic fibrosis in October. We have intellectually known the fact that CF kills, but this is our first personal encounter and it shook us deeply. Kyla’s death has also motivated us to do more, do it faster; we’ve just got to raise money for the cure or permanent treatment soon.

If Tim had your email, you most likely received the joyful news of medical breakthroughs that should fix the underlying problem of CF, which produces thick sticky mucous that clogs vital organs. This research can’t progress fast enough! There are many mutations of the CF gene; work is not yet done on the type that our son and 80% of the 35,000 Americans with CF have. That one is a bit more complicated.

Nick and Joe are still living it up, err, I mean studying, in Greensboro, NC. Nick has been accepted at a five-week summer Spanish program in Madrid and is figuring out how to get all his bulky medical devices there. Joseph is recuperating from ACL knee surgery and is now ready to resume pilot lessons.

With the recession, we all are very careful with our money. Consider carefully your donations; make sure your dollars do the most they can. The CF Foundation uses 90% of each dollar for research, a number envied by all other non-profits. CF receives no government money, relies solely on donations. Hope you can help this year, too.

Thank you for your generous support in fighting this devastating disease – and for making CF stand for Cure Found!

Barbara Kreager Tim Brenton Nicholas Brenton Joseph Brenton