Our featured charity of the month for December is the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Here’s what you need to know:
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation was founded in 1955.
The charity’s trademark, 65 roses, originated in 1965 when 4-year-old Richard Weiss who had the disease, told his mother that she was working for “65 Roses” because it was easier to say.
You can donate through their website (www.cff.org) via:
-One-time or monthly donation
-Memorial donation
-Matching Gifts Program
-E-gifts
-Creating a gift registry
-Becoming a Corporate Partner
-Donate a vehicle
-Shop the site’s marketplace
You can get involved via:
-Volunteering/Raising awareness
-Taking part in a special event
-Taking part in a clinical trial
Visit www.cff.org to find out everything you need to know about www.cff.org. Here are a few facts provided by the website:
What is it?
-Cystic Fibrosis is a hereditary condition that affects the lungs and digestive system
Statistics
-Affects around 30,000 people nationwide, 70,000 world-wide
-1,000 new cases a year
-70% are diagnosed by 2-years old
-Patients live an average of 35 years with the condition
Causes
-A gene mutation
Symptoms
-Skin tastes salty
-Persistent coughing
-Reoccurring lung infections
-Wheezing/Shortness of breath
-Growth and weight problems
Treatments
-No cure
-Drug treatments, proper nutrition, and therapy can prolong life
Road Scholar Transport Awareness Program
Bill Squires, consultant for the NY Giants, was at an event in which the Children’s Tumor Foundation trailer made an appearance, and fell in love with the exhibit. He told Jim Barrett about his son having cystic fibrosis and inquired about a truck. Barrett, however, had already been discussing the concept of a cystic fibrosis trailer with a friend whose son had been diagnosed and so when Squires brought it up, it was already something Barrett had in the back of his mind.
Barrett worked with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and crafted a tractor trailer which displayed 65 brightly colored roses, the organization’s trademark. “There were three boys, the Weiss brothers, who were diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. The one kid would hear his mother say that they had cystic fibrosis, but he couldn’t say it. Instead, he would say, ‘We have 65 roses.’ It stuck,” Barrett explained. “The foundation’s calendar always has themes of roses but never 65 of them. So we have 65 roses on the trailer. At first, we had 64 roses,” Barrett laughs, “because it is hard to count them all but now we have 65.”
Learn more about the cystic fibrosis trailer and view pictures by visiting http://www.roadscholarawareness.org/our-charities/cystic-fibrosis/.
Tags: 65 roses, awareness program, awareness trucks, Bill Squires, causes, charity, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, December, donate, Jim Barrett, NY Giants, Richard Weiss, road scholar transport, symptoms, trailer, treatments
