Each month through the end of the year,
we'll feature a special person or team who played an integral role in the 2013
Great Strides walks. We hope you'll find this story to be inspiring as we
continue to make Great Strides in our efforts to find a cure for CF!
HOSA -
Future Health Professional members from Arizona proudly support the search for a
cure by walking in Great Strides. HOSA students have made the CF Foundation
their national charity and have raised more than $80,000 in 2013 to help support
the Foundation's mission.
Team:
HOSA-Future
Health Professionals national team - led by HOSA students and teachers across
the U.S.
Impact:
Raised more than $80,000 so far
in 2013
Who We Are
HOSA-Future Health
Professionals, is a career and technical organization made up of high school and
college students who are interested in pursuing careers in health professions.
Each year, the organization works on a national service project as a way to
bring awareness to certain issues and to help members of the medical community.
For the last two years, HOSA has made the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation its
national charity.
To encourage
fundraising, education and community involvement, HOSA offers incentives to
students who reach fundraising benchmarks. HOSA students in Arizona enjoy the
chance to win t-shirts, water bottles and chair massages for their part in
supporting the search for a cure.
Why We Walk
One
of our members, Tiffany Steelmon, has cystic fibrosis. She created a video,
spoke at the national HOSA conference, and encouraged HOSA delegates to support
this cause. Tiffany's story moved many people - she put a face on this disease.
Our students have really rallied behind Tiffany and the entire CF community.
They want to be part of the cure.
What We're Thankful
For
Raising funds to help support the search for a cure doesn't
just help the CF community; it also helps HOSA students. In order to fundraise,
our students go out into the community to educate people about this disease and
the great things the Foundation is doing to help find a cure. Contact with
friends, families and members of the business community gives our students the
chance to develop communication and leadership skills. It's fun to be able to
see students grow as individuals while making a difference in the lives of
others.
Advice For Other Great Strides Teams
The
best advice I can offer to other Great Strides teams is to keep the fundraising
fun. Not only do we let our students know how important this cause is, but we
make it enjoyable. We kick off the year with a pep rally and speaker, and we
also offer incentives for students to reach fundraising benchmarks. At the end
of the day, our students are learning about cystic fibrosis, educating others,
raising money and they're having fun doing it.
Learn
More