Dear Family and Friends,
On March 8th we are joining the fight against Cystic Fibrosis and running the Disney Half Marathon with Team Bean for a cause called “Hope for Delaney.” Team Bean is led by our friend Jil and was organized on behalf of her daughter Delaney (Bean) who was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis during her first week of life!

Cystic Fibrosis is an inherited disease that affects the lungs and the digestive system. The Cystic Fibrosis genes cause the body to produce abnormally thick, sticky mucus that obstructs the airways of the lungs and clogs the digestive track in the stomach and pancreas. These obstructions can lead to life threatening diseases and many hospitalizations. Thanks to the support of Cystic Fibrosis research, the life expectancy is now 37 years old, when a child once only lived until school age! Research has also allowed us to identify children with Cystic Fibrosis at a younger age due to improvements in prenatal and newborn screenings. Diagnosing in infancy allows children to begin therapy at an earlier age which increases their chances of survival. Today, there are 30,000 children and young adults affected with CF in the United States and the numbers are rising, making it the most common fatal genetic disease today. Supporting Cystic Fibrosis research is necessary because a cure is imperative, especially for our little Bean, Delaney.

Delaney has already felt the effects of the disease! She has already been hospitalized numerous times. Her parents, Jil and Bernie, are required to give her six medications and respiratory treatments to keep her lungs clear in order to prevent infection and hospitalization. Jil and Bernie fight every day so that Delaney will never have to battle to breathe!
Now we are asking you, our friends and family, to help support US and Team Bean by making a donation. We pledged to raise $500+ for “Hope for Delaney” and the CF Foundation! We hope you can help us make that possible! All donations are tax-deductible! Since we will be running 26 miles, our wish is have at least 26 sponsors, one for each mile. As a sponsor we are asking you to pledge $20 (or more). This will help us to reach and surpass our $500 goal!

Please make all checks out to Hope4Delaney, and mail to Hope for Delaney, PO Box 728, Moorestown, NJ, 08057-0728. If you donate by March 4th we will be sure to recognize your support during our run!

Thank you in advance for your support of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, “Hope for Delaney” and US as we challenge our bodies to cross the finish line for a cure!

Love,

Amy and Brian

Please visit http://www.hope4delaney.com/ for any question about Delaney and her struggle. Please visit http://cff.org/ for any questions about Cystic Fibrosis.