Thank you for visiting my fundraising page!

I will be running the ING New York City Marathon on November 2, 2008 with the Boomer Esiason Foundation.  Boomer Esiason, though best known for his career as a professional athlete and media personality, is the father of a child with Cystic Fibrosis (CF).  Boomer launched the Foundation in 1993 to support medical research critical to finding a cure for CF, as well as to improve the quality of life for CF patients and their families. 

CF is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the United States (70,000 worldwide).  A defective gene and its protein product cause the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that both clogs the lungs, leading to life-threatening lung infections, and obstructs the pancreas, stopping natural enzymes from helping the body break down and absorb food.  In the 1950s, few children with CF lived to attend elementary school.  Because of advances in research and medical treatments, many people with the disease can now expect to live well into their 30s, 40s and beyond.

For those of you who do not already know, or haven’t yet been lucky enough to be targeted by one of my fundraising efforts, fighting and beating CF is an important goal for my family and me.  I first learned about CF from my two younger cousins, Mallory (22) and Catherine (20), who both live with the disease.  Mallory and Catherine are two of my closest friends, not only because we are related, but also because they are fun, intelligent, interesting, and most importantly, courageous.  My cousins inspire me to live a fulfilling life, to challenge myself, and to encourage others to do the same.  As a runner, I have a special opportunity to contribute to this cause both by fundraising, and by raising awareness.  Fundraising for Team Boomer is especially important to me because the donations will fund the Exercise for Life Scholarship Program.  The scholarships are awarded to high school senior athletes living with CF and pursuing undergraduate degrees.  Exercise improves health, teaches discipline, and builds confidence, and I am proud to run on behalf of other young athletes who unlike me, pursue those goals in spite of significant physical challenges. 

As a result, I am asking you all to join, or continue to join, me and my family in the fight against Cystic Fibrosis.  You can do that by educating others about the disease, by donating to the Exercise for Life Scholarship Program, or even by coming to New York City on November 2nd to cheer on Team Boomer!  Thank you so much to everyone for all of your past and future love and support, enjoy the rest of your summer, and please feel free to pass this along to anyone who might be interested!

Also, if you have questions, you can reach me at Farrelmk@gmail.com.