Cystic Fibrosis. I knew almost nothing about it until I met Aiden(Leprechaun on riderfans.com and Rider13 on Riderville). After I met him I knew too much. It's a real shitty thing that people are BORN with. They have no choice in the matter. Lifestyle, diet, abuse, none of those things caused it. Just a random accident of DNA. And being born with it means that it affects kids a whole lot. So I copied his post from Riderville just in case anybody reads this blog and hasn't read his story. Reach for your wallets and goto the website at the bottom of his story or contact Aiden and give some cash. I'm poorer than most and I'm giving. Anyway read the story.

Once again it is May, which means it is Cystic Fibrosis month. CF is the number one genetic disease that kills young people today. Both my son's have this disease. I am posting our story below it was written by my wife. I have also included a link to the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis website where anyone who would like to donate to the Great Strides walk can do so. You can pledge myself if you would like or if you want to come out for the walk that would be fantastic. We will be having a BBQ this year again. Last year the weather was great. The walk is being held on May 28th at Candy Cane park registration is a 10:30 and walk is at 11am. There is a 2.5 or a 5km walk. If you have any questions regarding the walk feel free to contact myself.

As for a donation it is tax deductible.

Gabe and Gavin were born at 26 weeks gestation – 3
months early. Gavin weighed 1 lb 9oz and Gabe weighed
1 lb 15oz. Gabe had a bowel perforation and had
surgery where they removed 12cm of intestine. He also
needed laser eye surgery and a hernia repair. He was
on a ventolator for 2 months. We couldn't hold him for
those 2 months. He was sent to a different hospital 3
hours away because our hospital didn't have a ped.
Surgeon. We spent time between the 2 hospitals. He got
transferred back after his surgeries.
Gavin had a lot of respiratory problems. He was on a
ventilator for 5 1/2 months. He had terrible apnea and
bradycardia spells. We were called often with the news
that he wasn't going to make it. Feb. 15, 2005 we got
the diagnosis that they had Cystic Fibrosis, which is
a terminal disease that effects the digestive and
respiratory systems. I believe if they didn't have
this they would have both made it. The disease along
with Gavin's premature lungs were too much together.
Gavin got of the ventilator in April and onto a cpap
machine. He got onto full feeds and the NICU director
said he thought Gavin would get to come home. Gabe
came home with us April 20 after 5 months and 20 days
in the hospital. He got off of oxygen a week before he
came home. The worst feeling was leaving Gavin and
taking Gabe home. We brought Gabe into the NICU and we
had our first family pictures together (he was in Peds
because he was stable and didn't need a high level of
care). I told Gavin that I'd come back for him. That
he'd have his turn of me taking him home. Little did I
know...
Gavin got a bunch of infections in a row in May. His
kidney's started failing. He went into respiratory
failure. We got a call to get down there. They had to
bag him for a hour to get his 02 and heart rate up. We
were told he would have a lot of brain damage. His
laser eye surgery didn't work and he was probably
going to be blind as well. A nurse told us that he
would probably never walk or talk. But honestly we
never wanted to give up hope. We were asked if we
wanted to take him off the cpap and we said no. We
felt that when the time came we would know. We spent
the night in the quiet room in the NICU. We woke up
the next morning and I told my husband to go check on
him. He went in and held his hand and came back and
said he was fine. He went down to get us breakfast. A
nurse came and knocked on the door saying they were
bagging him. They tried for a long time to get his 02
and heart rate up but it wasn't working. The nurse
said she thought he was telling us something. We
agreed. She took him off the machines and gave him to
me and he was gone right away.
I look at Gabe and I know he's a part of Gavin. They
were identical. Gabe continues to have problems due to
cystic fibrosis but he's generally doing well. He's 16
months and weighs 18lbs. He is walking all over the place now.

https://cornerstonewebmedia.com/CCF...=donation_step1

My name is Aiden Cornwell