pers), and all the normal ups and downs of being a new parent, we were given this news.
Fortunately, we had the love and support of friends and family to get us through those first few months, and we were soon introduced to other CF families who gave us hope and shared the amazing strides that have been made in CF treatment in recent years.
The idea for Charleston Mom Prom came to me late one evening on a whim. At the time, Brayden was 3 years old, and I was embarking on my fourth year of fundraising for our Great Strides team, BZ's Buddies. Although we have some incredibly generous family and friends, I wanted to do something more. I wanted to be able to take a small amount of my time and resources and turn it into something bigger so that I could then contribute to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
With the encouragement of a few other local CF mamas and our CF Foundation chapter, I decided to take the leap and started planning the inaugural 2014 Charleston Mom Prom. That first year, we had just under 50 women in attendance and raised just over $1,200. We had a blast, and I knew this was the start of something great.
This year, I hosted the fourth annual Charleston Mom Prom on March 4. With roughly 150 women in attendance, we raised over $11,000. As a mother of young children, I know how rare it is for other moms to get a night out and unwind. At Mom Prom, we get to dress up, go out with our girlfriends, and have a blast dancing, laughing, and making memories, all while supporting a cause that is so near and dear to my heart.
Every parent has their own way of fighting for their child with CF. I love to bring people together, organize, and plan, so Charleston Mom Prom has been a way for me to use my gifts and current stage of life to spread awareness and raise vital funds for Brayden and all those battling CF. This event has become a passion of mine and my way of giving time and energy to a cause that is so important to me. In the span of Brayden's six short years, I have met some amazing CF families, who have become an extension of ours. The time and energy I put into this event is now about so much more than just my son.
I have been blessed to have some incredible friends join alongside me to promote the cause and help it grow into something bigger and better each year. It's been humbling to see the support that I have received, not only from other local CF moms and my friends, but also from area businesses and individuals with no personal connection to CF.
My hope is that Charleston Mom Prom continues to grow, and that more and more people learn about the vital work the CF Foundation is doing to get us closer to a cure. I know that our family only has so much to give each year, but by finding a fundraiser that I'm passionate about and that brings people together in a fun and innovative way, I am able to do so much more to fight for a cure than I could on my own.