My Nonprofit Reviews

This Charity grants wishes for children that are affected by Cystic Fibrosis (CF) - which is a great thing. There are several large foundations that are affiliated with Cystic Fibrosis and these foundations raise millions and millions of dollars in the name of Cystic Fibrosis. Which is fantastic because all of these monies have lead us closer to finding a cure for this disease. HOWEVER, in the Cystic Fibrosis world there are not many resources (if any at all) that focus on the needs of the families that are dealing with Cystic Fibrosis.

Cystic Fibrosis is one of those diseases that individuals appear to be "healthly" on the outside. So people may not understand why individuals with CF need help. But what people fail to realize or know is that Cystic Fibrosis is a life threatning disease that is very expensive, with or without insurance; but definately more without insurance. As an example, most individuals that have two copies of the delta 508 gene, and experience pancreatic deficiencies require pancreatic enzymes to help in the digestion of food. These pancreatic enzymes can cost in the neighborhood of $3,000 per month(or more) without insurance. Even with insurance there can be a percentage that families need to pay based on their prescription plan (i.e. 20% co-payment). This is just an example of one drug and the financial strains that can be placed on individuals with Cystic Fibrosis. As a fact, most CF patients take more than one drug. Some drugs are just as expensive as this example. So, do the math and you can see this is not cheap.

As mentioned, there is a foundation that mainly supports CF research but there are little to no foundations or organizations to actually help the CF person. This is where I think the Take a Breather foundation steps in to fill the void. This organization is dedicated to addressing the needs of the CF person. Wether it is assisting with a need in the home or better yet - granting a wish for a child with CF. There are other agencies that grant wishes for ill children. But these agencies help all sick children. The Take a Breather Foundation only caters to the CF Community. Which may seem selfish but you have keep in mind that there are little to no other resources for individuals/families with CF.

Now . . . I will get off my soapbox and explain how Take a Breather Foundation profoundly affected our family and granted a wish for our child. Our daughter who is currently 11 years and was diagnosed with CF at the age of 9 days old was granted a wish of going to Paris in the summer of 2012.

Our Story: Our daughter was very connected with her great-grandmother who she called "meme" (which stands for grandmother in french ) and that passed away in 2009. Her grandparents met during World War II when her great-grandfather was fighting in the war and met his future bride in a cherry orchard. The two fell in love and married in Paris before returing to the United States. Her great-grandfather died in 2006 but she had a special connection with her meme. Just before she die, Marlia asked her meme about Paris and she told our daughter, "if you can ever get there, go, because it is beautiful". Ever since she passed away, our daughter has been fascinated with Paris and wanted to go where her grandparents fell in love and got married. Here is where the Take a Breather foundation stepped in. After hearing our daughter's story and her wish, the Take a Breather Foundation made our daughter's wish come true.

In June of 2012, our family boarded a plane in Philadelphia, PA and 7 hours later arrived in the "City of Lights". Our daughter had returned to where her family history began. Thanks to the Take a Breather foundation our daughter was able to walk the streets of Paris, go up the Eiffel Tower, walk down the Champs-Elysees, ride the metro, visit Disneyland Paris and find out she loves crepes. All of this would not have been possible without this foundation. We as family could have never given a trip like this to our daughter especially a pre-adolescent that is working through the fact that she has CF and has to take lots of medications and do chest therapy - when her siblings and peers do not.

Saying just "thank you" to this foundation does not do do justice for the memories that they have given our daughter for the rest of her life. She has a new perspective on CF and currently thinks that not all things with CF are "so bad" (in her words) because she realizes that if she did NOT have CF and if it was NOT for this foundation she would have never have gotten to go Paris and follow the words of her great-grandmother, Xaviere.

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