This Mother’s Day, I would like to highlight a wonderful and amazing mother I know, Stacy Dayhoff, and her beautiful daughter Marilyn. When Marilyn was 3 weeks old, she was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis. Her family were taken by surprise by this diagnosis since they were unaware that they were carriers.
Marilyn is now 2.5 years old and luckily in pretty good health. She has a vest that she wears twice a day for 20 minutes each time. The vest shakes (so that the mucus will come off the walls of her lungs, making it easier for her to cough it out). She also does breathing treatment once a day (to help thin the mucus).
Marilyn doesn’t let anything get her down, she loves to play outside and play in her play kitchen (so she can cook yummy cookies for her family!) She can’t get enough of Frozen and of the Minions (she calls them “Happy”).
Marilyn is one of 30,000 people diagnosed with CF (Cystic Fibrosis) in the US (70,000 worldwide). CF is a defective gene and it’s protein product causes the body to produce unusually thick and sticky mucus that clogs the lungs and obstructs the pancreas.
In the 1950s, few children with CF lived to attend elementary school. Today, advances in research and medical treatments have further enhanced and extended life for children and adults with CF. Many people with the disease can now expect to live into their 30s, 40s and beyond.
This Saturday, May 16th 2015, the fundraising for CF walk, Great Strides, is once again taking place in Denver.
Great Strides provides a great opportunity for people within the community to get involved in a great cause. Participants can form walk teams at their workplace, through their clubs and organizations, or with friends and family.
Walk day is a fun, family-oriented event with a healthy 5k walk, children’s activities, food, and festivities that participants look forward to year after year.
I walked for Marilyn and it was such a remarkable experience!
So go put your tennis shoes on and support children and adults that are fighting CF. To make a donation to Marilyn visit Marilyn’s Hope Page.
Great Strides Walk
Saturday, May 16th 2015
Check-in: 8:00AM
Walk: 9:00AM
Sloan’s Lake, Denver