Team CFC is proud to support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation by contributing the miles we ride in this year's Limited Distance and Endurance Ride Season to help find a cure for people like Keira who are suffering from this devastating disease. Team CFC is a group of equestrians who enjoy the sport of endurance riding. The sport involves travelling many miles on your horse, anywhere from 25 (LD) to 100 miles in one day. Because of the generosity of individual donors like you the CF Foundation can continue their life saving mission. Your support is critical to ensuring that vital CF research moves forward. Working together, we can give children and adults with CF the quality of life and the future they deserve.

How can you help? A couple of ways...

1. Sponsor a rider by the mile by filling out our sponsor form
2. - OR - a one time donation. Making a donation is easy and secure! Just click the link www.cff.org/great_strides/StephanieStage6585 and "Click to Donate" button on the page to go to make a donation that will be credited to my team. Any amount you can donate is greatly appreciated!
3. - OR - Join Team CFC. If you are an AERC endurance rider, you can look for generous supporters to sponsor your miles and have fun riding your horse knowing you are doing it for a great cause.

To sponsor a rider simply email or call one of our riders to fill out our form and your rider will provide you with updates on how Team CFC is doing throughout the riding season. Team CFC is not taking any of the proceeds. We are just proud to ride for such an honorable cause. 100% of your contributions will go directly to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Already an AERC participant? To join the Team all you need to do is contact Stephanie Stage at 541-592-3266 or at stagecoach@cavenet.com to register as a rider. Then get your sponsors and Ride, Ride, Ride!

CF is a life-threatening genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system. More than 10 million Americans are symptomless carriers of the defective CF gene. Help the CF Foundation continue our quest to find a cure.

Why should you get involved?

The CF Foundation is Efficient. Almost 90 cents of every dollar raised goes directly toward vital CF research and programs. According to SmartMoney, the CF Foundation is "a charity that won't waste your money." The CF Foundation also meets extensive standards of the Better Business Bureau, America's most experienced charity evaluator.

The CF Foundation is Innovative. Forbes and USAToday have recognized the CF Foundation's innovative approach to research. By offering milestone-driven research awards, the CF Foundation stimulates the development of new CF therapies that can have a profound impact on thousands of young lives.

The CF Foundation is Results-Driven. When the CF Foundation was founded, few patients lived to attend elementary school. Thanks to research and care supported by the CF Foundation, the median age of survival is now 37 years.

Working together, we can continue to add tomorrows every day to the lives of all people with CF!

Team CFC (meaning Team CF Challenge) was created from one simple question. How could we make a difference in the fight against CF when we were not scientists, and without direct access to copious amounts of money? We decided that we could make our love of endurance riding work for us. We felt that endurance riding and fighting Cystic Fibrosis have a lot in common. Both endurance riding and the fight against CF require that we endure the mental, physical and emotional strength to see both the next step and the finish line. Sometimes, during an endurance ride, when our lings, our hears or our will are about to call it a day, our horses seem to muster up strength enough for each of us to make it over the next hill. That's the beauty of having teammates like our horses. As you read on you'll meet Keira Rae. We're proud to be part of her team as she fights to make it "over the next hill," all the way to the finish line.

The endurance community becomes something like a second family, whose members support each other and want each other to succeed.

"As I ride with this group of committed athletes, it is great knowing that every step my horse makes puts me closer to, not just helping my daughter, but helping everyone who has ever been affected by the devastating results of CF. Something that was just a fun hobby now has a direct purpose." - Stephanie Stage (Keira's mom and Team CFC Founder)

Keira's story is not much different than the thousands of other families living with CF. Outside and with the animals is where this energetic seven month old wants to be. She always has a constant smile, even when the situation may not be a happy one. She has an easy-going nature and the ability to adjust and accept all the medications, shots and procedures she has to endure.

We found out that Keira had Cystic Fibrosis when she was three weeks old. When Keira came home from the hospital she was unable to gain weight, yet she was hungry as a horse. Our pediatrician saw the red flags after receiving the results of the Oregon heel prick test and recommended we have Keira genetic tested. It was a sad and overwhelming day to find out your child has a life-threatening disease for which there is not a cure.

The advantage Keira has is that she was diagnosed so young. We were able to get her set up with a CF center and start working with a staff of pulmonologists, nutritionists, nurses and our pediatrician to ensure Keira has the best chance of living as long and fulfilling a life that is possible. Knowing that the CF Foundation is working hard to find a cure gives me hope that Keira may one day see her own children grow up.

Last revised: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 at 07:14 PM

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Circle S Ranch & Outfitters Brian Pfeiffer & Stephanie Stage 7555 Holland Loop Rd. Cave Junction, OR 97523 Phone: 541-592-4160 URL: http://www.CircleSRanchandOutfitters.com