Becker Sophomore Morgan Meyer held her first Cystic Fibrosis Walk last Friday night in the Becker Fieldhouse to raise money to create and spread awareness for Cystic Fibrosis.

 

As walkers entered the arena, a table to the side displayed several items eligible for a raffle that included T-shirts and patches, a McDonald’s Meats gift card, a set of children’s books by Jerry Cahill and an autographed football, t-shirt and sweatshirt from the Boomer Esiason Foundation.

 

Tracy Bertram and her husband, Mark, were on hand to speak about CF and how it affected their family when their child, Brianna was diagnosed with it in 2001 and died from the disease 13 years later.

 

The Bertrams featured a slide show that explained the initial diagnosis, the many pills Brianna took, the fact her skin was salty and the difficulties of having a youngster administer a nebulizer machine.

 

Fifty-plus people gathered in the bleachers to hear their story and then were able to ask questions at the end.

 

Brianna was Mark and Tacy’s middle child of three.

 

For the walk, participants began near the doors and near the first turn of the track, a table was on display featuring a tribute to Brianna and another CF loss in Mike Schmitt. The table exhibited their funeral cards, a dedication scrapbook and a quote by Brianna in a frame that said, “Most importantly, we showed that living in the moment isn’t always easy but if you continue to put your right foot in front of your left you will get somewhere. Day-by-day, step-by-step I will win!” 

 

In the middle of the track, bean bag games were available for kids and adults who finished the walk and were looking for some fun.

 

The second table on the walk around the track featured an experiment where people were asked to breathe through a straw for 60 seconds. The exercise was to demonstrate how ones’ lungs begin to strain after doing that much strained breathing. It’s what CF patients deal with on a regular basis.

 

The next table had on display a nebulizer machine and some medications that most CF patients have to take during each and every day. There was also a vest (looked just like a life preserver, which it is) and the vest was worn by the CF patient and it would expand and compress the chest area of the patient to loosen and thin mucus in the lungs.

 

The fourth table had a poster board that showed what the symptoms are of a CF patient and had other information on the causes and treatments. On the table also were different pills and enzymes the CF patient is required to take.

 

Table five had another board depicting a story about a four-year-old who, in upon hearing of his disease for the first time in 1965, pronounced cystic fibrosis as 65 roses. Since 1965, the term "65 Roses" has been used by children of all ages to describe their disease.

 

The final table around the track gave greater detail about the disease and featured stacks of brochures and handouts for people interested in learning more.

 

The evening walk concluded with Morgan announcing the winners of the raffle and thanking all who had made the first year of her CF Walk a success.

 

As a result of the event, Meyer is closer to qualifying for the Girl Scout Gold Award — an award that is equivalent to the Eagle Scout Award given in Boy Scouts.