Just a Little Pocket Change: Kaylin Gragg Raises Money for Cystic Fibrosis

May 7, 2010  
Filed under News

Ottawa High School students have been known to participate in numerous fund raisers in order to raise money for multiple causes, such as the Franklin County Cancer Society, but right now students are most involved in sophomore, Kaylin Gragg’s fight against Cystic Fibrosis.

Cystic Fibrosis is an inherited disease that causes thick, sticky mucus to build up in the lungs and digestive tract. It is one of the most common chronic lung diseases in children and young adults, and may result in early death.

“To have the disease you have to have two mutations. Both of my parents have one mutation, which makes them a carrier for the disease, so it was pretty unavoidable,” Gragg said. “They would have never known had I not gotten sick.”

Gragg’s battle with Cystic Fibrosis has been a lifelong one and it has affected her life in numerous ways.  The illness has caused her to have unpredictable “episodes” which have kept her from participating in sports and many activities her entire life. It has hospitalized her over and over again scaring her and her family and making every day of her life a challenge.

“Some people may call me a drama queen, but the episodes really impact my life. There are a lot of times I can not even go to school, like right now I have been four months without being able to attend school all day,” Gragg said. “Sometimes I cannot even eat. I have been as long as six months, not being able to put anything in my mouth besides cotton swabs to wet it down.”

After battling the disease for numerous years, Gragg decided the only way things were going to change is if she changed them.

“I want it gone. I got sick when I was 8 months old. I do not want anyone to go through what I have gone through. I am co-charging a walk in Lawrence in October to raise money for Cystic Fibrosis research. That and what I am doing in school is just one of the many fundraisers I have done,” said Gragg.

As many have seen and already donated in, there are flyers and posters covering the walls of OHS and decorated donation boxes located in every classroom.

Gragg knows that it is mostly going to be just a little pocket change, but like in any fund raiser, every bit helps and she is just happy to create awareness and get the word out about her cause.

CF Facts (http://www.disabled-world.com/health/respiratory/cystic-fibrosis/life-expectancy.php)

This disease occurs in one of every 3,200 Caucasian births.

Cystic fibrosis occurs in one out of every 15,000 African-American births.

In the 1980s life expectancy of people with Cystic Fibrosis was 14 years.

10 years back, the life expectancy of a person with Cystic Fibrosis was around 18 years.

Today, it is 35 years.

Over 90% of the affected infants now survive beyond one year.

In the United States, approximately 30,000 people have cystic fibrosis.

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Danon Taylor

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