“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.”
          -- Mahatma Ghandi

Welcome to our fundraising page for the 2010 Snoqualmie Valley Great Strides! We hope to have many friends, family, co-workers and neighbors join us this year on walk day, Saturday, September 25th at Centennial Park in Snoqualmie.

Our daughter Kaitie continues to battle Cystic Fibrosis on a daily basis but her health has improved over last year. Her doctor put her on a continuous course of antibiotics for the entire winter in hopes of avoiding the constant run of infections that pushed her into homeschooling during her 6th grade year. While it hasn't completely stopped the infections, she has managed to stay well enough to not home school during 7th grade -- which she's very happy about!

Kaitie remains small -- much smaller than most kids her own age, making her the size of the average 9 year old rather than the almost 13 year old she actually is -- but has keep just barely maintained a weight her nutritionist and doctors are willing to allow in order to avoid the placement of a feeding tube at this time.

Though Kaitie is sometimes overwhelmed with the difficulties of treatments, infections and the constant nagging of her doctors and parents, she still manages to be a bright, engaging and busy girl! She's currently in rehearsals for her school play (along with her brother), continues to study music (playing guitar and writing songs, teaching herself to play the keyboard she got for Christmas and as one of the percussionists for her school band), and is planning out her strategy to convince us to allow her to raise chickens in the back yard -- all of this in addition to school, friends, twice daily therapy, doctor appointments and so much more!

Each year, we struggle to balance "normal" life with the rigors of battling Cystic Fibrosis. And, thankfully, each year the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation shows exciting new research in the advancements of treatments -- not too many causes can show so much progress on such a regular basis! It's very encouraging... but still not moving fast enough to halt the progession of the disease for Kaitie.

With these tough economic times, the funding for research is suffering. We understand that it is difficult for people to donate what they might have in past years, but it's hard to see any progress slowed (and perhaps, in some cases, even have studies cancelled) due to a lack of funding. With corporate sponsorships and individual donations down, it's all that much more important to have MORE people get involved, no matter the amount they can give -- it all adds up and each penny counts!

So, please, click on the donate button (or mail a check payable to "CFF" to The Gallaghers, PO Box 669, Snoqualmie, WA 98065) to make your contribution towards our family goal of $4,500. Then help us spread the word by emailing your friends and family, asking them to match -- or beat -- your donation amount. Add a link to this page to your blog, facebook page, newsletter... where ever and when ever you can help spread the word is a great help to us and to everyone who lives with Cystic Fibrosis.

Thank you for your support -- and we hope to see you on Saturday, September 25th for the 2010 Snoqualmie Valley Great Strides!

Your friends,
Ray, Cathy, Trevor, Raymond and Kaitie