"Promising new drugs now being tested have the potential to make cystic fibrosis a controlled disease like asthma." - N.Y. Times, April 24, 2009

My son Andrew has cystic fibrosis (CF), a life-threatening genetic disease affecting approximately 30,000 children and adults in the United States. Andrew is currently doing well. When he was diagnosed at the age of 4 1/2, we started this great team of people to help find a cure. Andrew is now 15 and a freshman at Santa Margarita Catholic High School. He plays on the freshman baseball team and is involved in the Model United Nations program. It may sound like he is not affected by this disease, but he is. Andrew was hospitalized for the third time in December for sinus surgery due to the extensive growth of polyps. Andrew still does treatments twice a day (which require him to get up earlier for school), takes over 20 pills a day including enzymes with every bite of food, gets quarterly check ups with the CF team of doctors at CHOC and also sees a specialist for his sinus issues. Even with the added things to his daily routine, Andrew continues to fight and wants to do his part to find a cure.

2010 will be our 11th year putting together a team of walkers for Great Strides, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's major fund raiser. Many of you have participated with us since the beginning of Andrew’s Angels. Last year, with our team of walkers we raised about $10,000. To see more information on CF and view the pictures from previous walks, please visit our website at http://andrewsangels.com.

Money raised from Great Strides is used to help fund research to finding a cure, discover new drugs to minimize the impact of the disease, support CF patient care centers and help CF patients have full lives. Your donation will have a direct impact on Andrew's life and all the other people with CF. Every year we are amazed at your generosity. Donors like you are helping in the success of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Our walk is on Saturday, May 1st at Doheny State Beach in Dana Point.

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to help reach my goal of $1,000.00. Any contribution you make is greatly appreciated and 90 cents of every dollar raised is used for program services.

Thank you for continuing to help us make a difference in Andrew’s life as well as all who are affected by CF. If you know of someone else who would like to help please forward this to all of them.