Photo: COntributed
A Penticton mother is organizing the Okanagan Valley’s only walk for cystic fibrosis this year.
Jodie Lynn’s son, Lucas, was diagnosed with the disease about two years ago. Since then, Lynn’s parents have participated in the annual walks, spurring her to get interested in attending one herself.
But with Kelowna’s event on hiatus, Lynn could not find one nearby, “so we decided we wanted to host something here.”
“We connected with a couple other families that have children with cystic fibrosis and they also really wanted to help out,” she said.
Lynn says there are several children in Penticton who suffer from cystic fibrosis, but the disease doesn’t allow them to meet. Specific and possibly deadly germs can be passed between two people with cystic fibrosis.
“So it’s quite a lonely disease,” she said.
The hereditary condition usually impacts the lungs, creating difficulty breathing and frequent lung infections.
On Sunday May 28 the public is invited out to Okanagan Lake Park, where participants will walk to the SS Sicamous and back with balloons to raise awareness for the disease. Afterwards, there will be photos, balloon twisting, carnival games and a hot dog lunch. Registration is at 9 a.m., the walk starts at 10 a.m.
Attendees are encouraged to register online ahead of time.
Fundraising teams can also sign up, and Lynn says many have been raising money for the disease through things like raffles and paint nights over the last several weeks.
Walks will also be held in Kamloops, Creston, the Lower Mainland and on Vancouver Island.
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