2011 was a great year…
Team O’Connell had a very successful and exciting 2011! We have over $80,000 in the bank with more contributions expected later this week through corporate matches which will hopefully get us to $90,000+. Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is closing their 2011 books officially on January 11, 2012 so we still have a shot at hitting our goal of raising $100,000! When Kellene set out to raise $100,000 in 2011 I knew we had a big stretch goal in front of us, but I also knew that Kellene could drive that number better than anyone! We are extremely proud and quite overwhelmed by the support we have received and continue to receive from our friends and family; without the support of Team O’Connell behind us we never could have even considered setting out to raise $100k in one year! Based upon support we received at some of the CFF events that didn’t get credited directly to Team O’Connell, we can confidently say that we hit/exceeded our goal of $100,000 raised in 2011…hats off to all of you and especially to Kellene for raising the bar! In the past four years, Team O’Connell has raised over $250,000!!!!!
The amazing success we experienced in 2011 will help make even further medical advances for the CFF drug pipeline and ultimately help to add tomorrows for those affected by Cystic Fibrosis. There were tremendous medical breakthroughs for drugs in the CF pipeline and one, in particular, that proved science is able to cure the genetic defect that creates symptoms in CF patients. $.90 of every dollar we raised this year goes toward researching and developing new drugs to help make CF stand for Cure Found and Team O’Connell is responsible for at least $90,000 of R&D money for Cystic Fibrosis! This is an incredible accomplishment and we have Team O’Connell to thank for all of our success! Team O’Connell is our ROCK and without each and every one of you behind us we could not find the strength to continue fighting through the daily grind of Cystic Fibrosis…THANKS!
Brady’s year in health…
2011 started out great and then in late March Brady had his first admission into Children’s Memorial Hospital. It was a quick stay and Brady’s team of CF doctors was able to get his GI issues cleared up so we could go home and focus on some new changes to Brady’s diet and routine. The hospital stay was a wake-up call for Kellene and I that CF can rear its ugly head in the blink of an eye and without any warning at all! Brady handled the whole experience with the same determination and perseverance we have seen since the very first day he was born! Brady’s doctors often comment on his strength and energy!
Brady took on the summer with the same determination and ENERGY he applies to fighting CF! Brady ran and swam all summer long so he didn’t even have time to get sick! We enjoyed several weekends in Lake Geneva and Brady met lots of new friends on the beach, as well as some others who weren’t so interested in trying to keep up with Brady!
After a very busy summer and several bouts of ear infections in the fall, Brady’s team of doctors suggested we consider getting his adenoids removed and get tubes in his ears to help the fluids and bacteria drain better. This is common for children his age to alleviate ear/sinus infections. Brady was like an old veteran running down the halls of Children’s on the day of his surgery. After a few hours we were back home again RUNNING around and playing as if nothing had happened.
We enjoyed a few weeks without any ear infections or colds after the tubes were in and adenoids shrunk, but November and December left Brady battling cold after cold and yet not slowing him down much at all! Brady has been taking extra antibiotics, probiotics and extra nebulizer and vest treatments to prevent Pseudomonas from spreading or other new bacteria from setting up camp in his lungs! Minor colds can wake this ugly beast called Pseudomonas and cause severe damage to Brady’s lungs. In order to keep the beast asleep we treat him with extra antibiotics to keep his lungs healthy.
2012, here we come…
Brady turns 3 years old and he is also going to be a big brother in March and we’re very excited to meet the newest member of the O’Connell family! We still don’t know if we are having a boy or a girl, but we do know the baby doesn’t have CF…we’re hoping for a healthy baby to bring us the same joy, laughter and excitement we have experienced with Brady!
Team O’Connell will be in full force again this year and while we haven’t decided on our fundraising goal, we do know that it’s going to be a big year for us! Stay tuned for news on our upcoming committee recruitment meetings, events and updates!
THANK YOU FOR A GREAT 2011 AND FOR HELPING US TAKE SIGNIFICANT STEPS TOWARD MAKING CF STAND FOR CURE FOUND!!!!!!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Love,
Matt, Kellene and Brady
What a trooper!!! 2012 is Brady’s year!