Happy Birthday Cory
Happy heavenly 32nd birthday. Always in my heart, always on my mind. I can't believe 32 years ago, you made me one of the happiest mom's around. 32 years of loving you, 32 years of celebrating you, 32 years knowing the meaning of life. Once again I am faced with he difficult task of celebrating without you here, smiling instead of crying, and remembering your purpose forever engraved in my heart.
The beginning of our fundraising season is here.. Every year we start our fundraising off with our T-shirt sales. This year T-shirts may appear to be more simple than the ones in the past but they carry a strong message. You can order your T-shirt here:
I hope we will have a record year. Join me this in being "Cory Strong".
Cory was and probably always will be one of the strongest individuals I have been blessed to know and love. Everything he went through, he went through with a smile, without a complaint and with the strength and power that only most could only dream of having. The fight he continued to have for his short life never failed to amaze me. He spent hundreds of days in the hospital each year, thousands of hours doing countless therapies to help him breathe. Often there were times, he would miss birthday parties, holidays, or special events because of cystic fibrosis. He refused to allow it to damper the person he was, the person he left imprinted on all of our hearts..
Each year around this time, I am overcome with the many memories that Cory has stamped on my heart. Memories such as the year he refused to miss his school concert despite the fact he had just had surgery the day before. He was adamant that the doctor’s release him from the hospital and we make it to the school so he could perform. ( I drove really fast from St. Louis) We made it, and Cory made it to the stage ( even though he almost passed out because of the lights and heat, and probably blood loss from surgery). Then there was the year he was in the hospital over mother’s day. He used his own money to go down to the hospital gift shop and buy me a bracelet and in the card, Once I arrived to the hospital, he told me to take Casey to the White Sox game instead of sitting in the hospital on my day. I often look at some of my memories and wonder why all of them are about CF, hospitals, sickness and health. These are strong memories because these memories remind me of the strength Cory had for the 23 years he was with us, they remind me how Cory never put himself first and was always concerned about everyone he loved, they remind me of the importance of being strong when I don’t feel like it, fighting when I am tired, and most importantly…..Loving like there isn’t a tomorrow.
Last month I added a dinner for CF volunteers. They had a saying that really hit home. “We will not rest until we have a cure for everyone” This is what we are after. We are after a cure! We did not find a cure in Cory’s lifetime, but we I hope that we can find a cure in my lifetime. Cory and use to talk all the time about the party and celebration we would have when cure was found. I am fighting to have that celebration for him. I hope all of you will continue to fight with me.
This past week a bitter sweet announcement was made by the CF foundation. Tezacaftor/ivacaftor (Symdeko™) is approved for individuals with two copies of the most common cystic fibrosis mutation, F508del, as well as for individuals who have a single copy of one of 26 specified mutations -- regardless of their other mutation. This announcement puts the CF foundation even closer. A cure is in the horizon. Cory had 2 copies F508del. I have no doubt he is celebrating with CF foundation with this announcement. Cory would not want to us to think about that “What if, should ya, would ya, could ya” but he would want us to celebrate all the individuals that will largely benefit from this announcement. That number is quite large
So this year we are going out as “Cory strong”. We will remain strong in our fight so that even more individuals are able to not only celebrate their 20th birthday, but 30th, 50th or even their 100th. I hope all of you are with me in this fight. This year for Cory’s birthday…I am strong. My birthday my son…forever I will miss you and forever I will fight in your memory.
