Dear Friends,

Since my diagnosis with Cystic Fibrosis at the age of 16 ½ I have received the gold standard of healthcare and have strictly followed the daily CF treatment protocol prescribed by my doctors. Despite this rigorous health maintenance routine, I have been hospitalized 20 times over the last 10 years. I have spent the equivalent of 6 months in the hospital overnight as an inpatient and over 1 year of IV antibiotics at home. Additionally I have had 3 pulmonary embolizations for uncontrolled bleeding in my lungs, two sinus surgeries, and several bronchcosopies.

As a progressive illness, Cystic Fibrosis becomes more complicated to treat each year and inevitably there comes a point when the current treatments available are no longer enough to maintain a patient's health. Unfortunately this past year, my family and I were forced to begin to face some of these inevitabilities. I did not respond as well to the current treatment options: I developed resistance and intolerance to some of the most powerful antibiotics; I did not recover as well from hospitalizations; and despite exhausting every possible combination of medication and therapy my lung function declined. Thankfully, the last round of IV antibiotics in May left me feeling considerably better and I have continued to feel well and gain strength over the past few months. As I push forward, I will continue to fight for my health by meticulously following every current treatment available and now, more critically than ever, I am awaiting the latest advancements in CF care.

Tragically, not every Cystic Fibrosis patient has the possibility of seeing new medical treatments come to fruition. My family and I faced this stark reality of CF with the tragic loss of close family friend Jena Cassalina. On December 4 th 2006 , at 13 years old Jena lost her battle to CF after only weeks of having been approved for a double lung transplant.

My struggle & the Cassalina's loss is a reminder that CF is not yet a chronic condition. It is a progressive illness that claims young lives each year despite the best care. In facing the realities of CF, my family and I have refused to be hopeless. We have turned helpless into hopeful by partnering with the CF foundation to raise funds to support critical research. Through the generous support of those attending and donating to “An Evening at Le Pavillon” over the last 8 years we have raised more than $160,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation!

My experiences this year have illuminated with even more clarity how crucial the research at CFF is to the lives of Cystic Fibrosis patients like myself and Eric Cassalina, Jena 's older brother. On behalf of all CF patients, I thank you for your support.

GiGi