I am honored to announce my selection to the STANDOUT Class of 2024. STANDOUT is a professional development and leadership program of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation that each year recognizes young professionals throughout Charlotte for their contributions to the community. The STANDOUT program culminates with an awards ceremony event on Thursday, November 7 at The Ruth.
 
In accepting the honor of participating as a STANDOUT, I am raising funds and awareness in the fight against cystic fibrosis (CF). In people with CF, a defective gene causes a thick buildup of mucus in the lungs, pancreas, and other organs. In the lungs, mucus clogs the airways and traps bacteria, leading to infections, extensive lung damage, and respiratory failure. Recognized globally, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has led the way in the fight against CF, fueling extraordinary medical and scientific progress. Working alongside the CF community, the CF Foundation has fostered the development of more than a dozen CF treatments — an unprecedented number in a short span of time — and helped add decades of life for people with CF. Thanks to this work, the life expectancy of someone born with CF has doubled in the last 30 years.
 
Despite this progress, many people with CF do not benefit from existing therapies, either because their disease is too advanced or because their specific genetic mutations will not respond. Those who can take current therapies continue to face challenging complications — leading to hospitalizations, missed school and work, and significant interruptions in their daily routine. Many children and adults with CF still face the sobering prospect of a shortened life span. The Foundation’s vision is a cure for every person with cystic fibrosis and a life free from the burden of this disease. Winning the fight against CF means working harder and faster than ever before, but we have an opportunity to end a disease. You can help drive this momentum of the Foundation forward.
 
Ada, who you see below, lives right here in the Charlotte area. She fights CF every day; spending hours on daily treatments, taking handfuls of pills, and working hard to keep herself healthy.
 
I am asking for your support in the quest to help find a cure for this devastating disease. Your generous contributions go to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the world's leader in the search for a cure for CF. The Foundation’s most challenging and important work is still ahead. It will take sustained investment to develop therapies and ultimately a cure for all people living with CF.
 
Please consider supporting my efforts. There are three ways to help:
1)         Make a 100% tax-deductible general donation online using this webpage.
2)         Join me at the STANDOUT event on Thursday, November 7. Tickets are $175 and include dinner, beer/wine, and entertainment. Tickets can be purchased here on my site.
3)         Share my efforts with your network through e-mail, social media, or word of mouth. Raising awareness about cystic fibrosis is an important part of my work for STANDOUT.
 
Your support is greatly appreciated. Thank you for being a vital part of this endeavor and helping me meet my goals!
 
To learn more about cystic fibrosis and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, visit www.cff.org.