Laps for Cystic Fibrosis Update
As of May 2016
Emily Schreiber - Laps for CF
When I was nine and started fundraising we had a simple goal: to help Children’s reach their goals by funding various needs throughout the Clinic. Over the last fourteen years, our relationship has only deepened. I am amazed by the phenomenal accomplishments of the Cystic Fibrosis team at Children’s, and it excites me both as a participant and a patient.
I have had the unique experience of experiencing Children’s as both a patient and as an outsider. I’ve lived through good and bad news at Clinic appointments. I’ve been annoyed while waiting for Dr. Gutierrez to go on rounds while an inpatient, and have gotten to know him outside of Children’s and be inspired by his incredible work in Chile and tireless work for Cystic Fibrosis patients. This experience has only reinforced the belief that while Children’s has done so much, there’s always more we can do to aid patients.
Laps for Cystic Fibrosis has not strayed from our vision of working to continue enabling Children’s to be the best Cystic Fibrosis Clinic is can be. Our goals have changed only as we’ve “checked off” things we wanted to accomplish. Children’s has gone from ranking in the lowest 15% of performing Cystic Fibrosis Clinics to one of the top in the nation, in a relatively short period of time. However, despite this amazing accomplishment there
is still work to be done. Patients and their families continue struggling with this chronic illness physically, financially, and emotionally.
Our new initiative Breathe Better Birmingham is focused on getting a flutter valve in every patient’s hands. A flutter valve enables patients to do lung treatment without a less cumbersome medical device. The result of this is more freedom for patients and another option from the burdensome routine of daily lung treatments. We’re so excited about this project! I cannot wait to see what the next fourteen years have in store!
Emily Schreiber
CF Patient and Founder, Laps for CF
Laps for CF’s Donations to Children’s of Alabama
An infant pulmonary function machine, which measures how well an infant’s lungs are working. Only the largest Cystic Fibrosis centers have this equipment.
A Portable pulmonary function machine, which measures how well lungs are working. Its portability helps decrease the risk of infection that is increased when the patient needs to go to the pulmonary function lab.
A ScaleTronix Pediatric Scale measures the weight of infants.