Cystic Fibrosis Rehab: Just Stream It.
Hello! I'm a Pediatric Pulmonary Fellow in my 2nd year of training at Miller
Children's Hospital. Which means I'm working to help care of kids with
lung problems, a big one of which is known as Cystic Fibrosis. CF
occurs when your chloride channels stop working, and as a result, the
mucus that the body normally creates (yes, even as in yours and mine),
becomes very thick and results in problems in your pancreas, intestines,
and especially in your lungs.
While there are plenty of
medications and medical interventions being researched, there is one
method of treatment that has been relatively overlooked which is free,
fun, and thankfully not needing insurance reimbursement. What is this
amazing treatment?
Exercise.
That's it. Then why raise
money if it's free? Take into consideration that these kids (and their
parents) have to do up to 3-4 hours of airway clearance and medications
per DAY. Add to that school and homework and well, exercise isn't much
up there on the priority list.
Hence this first-time crowdfunding
venture! Using just a HD webcam, video conferencing, and a few good
fitness instructors, we can stream live exercises for 30 minutes/day
straight into their homes, without the inconvenience of scheduling or
hitting traffic. Proceeds will go to instructor reimbursement,
internet usage, or technical equipment, with every cent directly going towards this project to benefit our pediatric CF patients
at the Miller Children's Hospital Cystic Fibrosis center.
Usually, I'd look for grants, but let's be honest - those usually go to scientists much smarter than me and who are the masters of pipetting. So us smaller-brained folk need funding to start
this 3-month pilot project in order to see how much of an impact we can
make on our CF kids lungs and overall quality of life. If we are
successful in showing a difference, you would be helping us to pave the
way for future research and of course, making a difference in our CF
kids now. Thanks for your help and for spreading the word! Now go exercise!