The Kin-CCFF Partnership
Kin and CF
From a relationship that began on a barstool in 1963, a 40-year friendship has grown into a committed partnership. Over the years, Kinsmen and Kinettes have devoted their efforts to an incredible assortment of events ranging from Daisy Days to road tolls to barbecues - all to help fight cystic fibrosis.
The friendship between Kinsmen and Kinettes and Canadians with CF began out of a conversation between Dr. Douglas Crozier, then director of the CF Clinic at The Hospital for Sick Children, and Kinsmen Bill Skelly. During a chance meeting at a Scarborough pub, Dr. Crozier spoke to Bill about his young CF patients. This conversation left Bill interested in joining the fight against cystic fibrosis, and Dr. Crozier was invited to speak to the North York Kinsmen Club. Almost immediately, the North York Kinsmen enthusiastically backed the CF cause.
By 1964, District 8 had formally adopted CF as its District Service Project. District 8's commitment sparked the interest of other Districts, and, before long, involvement spread Canada-wide, throughout the Kin organization. In 1987, the Association of Kinsmen and Kinette Clubs adopted CF as a National Service Project.
Today, Kinsmen and Kinettes remain our loyal friends, continually fundraising for CF research and promoting CF awareness. In 1997, Kin reached a great milestone when total funds raised for CF amounted to $25 million. In 2001, Kin raised more than $1 million to help beat CF, bringing the Kin's cumulative contribution to the CCFF to more than $30 million! These funds have helped Canadian researchers make major strides in the fight against cystic fibrosis.
The hard work and support of Kinsmen and Kinettes is deeply appreciated by Canadians with CF. Since 1964, Kin and the CCFF have shared in many exciting accomplishments, including the discovery of the gene responsible for CF in 1989. The discovery would not have been possible without the tremendous help of our Kin friends.
When Kinsmen and Kinettes first joined in the fight against CF, children with the disease were not expected to live past the age of four. But today, because of Kin, children and young adults with cystic fibrosis are often living into their 30s and beyond. For almost every year of Kin support, we have earned an extra year of life for a CF child. We could never have come so far, so fast, without the continued support of Kin.
In the past 40 years, Kinsmen and Kinettes across the country have worked tirelessly to help beat CF, contributing more than $32 million towards cystic fibrosis research and treatment. With friends like you, there is definite hope for the future of young Canadians living with cystic fibrosis.
Thank you Kinsmen and Kinettes, for everything that you are doing to help find a cure for cystic fibrosis - we look forward to continuing our work together to find a cure for cystic fibrosis.
AS THIS YEARS CYSTIC FIBROSIS SERVICE DIRECTOR FOR THE KINSMEN CLUB OF PRESTON MY JOB HAS BEEN TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT CF. AND ON JANUARY 23 WE ARE HOLDING A CF NIGHT TO HELP RAISE AWARENESS AND TO HAVE A SPEAKER THAT HAS CF COME IN AND SHARE THEIR STORY. AND AS WELL WE WILL BE DOING A CHECK PRESENTATION TO THE CCFF FOR THE MONEY RAISED WHEN WE DO SNOW GOLF THE WEEKEND BEFORE AS WELL AS IN MAY WE WILL BE DOING THE CF WALKATHON AND FOR THE WEEKEND OF OUR CT PARTY THE ROCK AND ROLL REVIVAL SHOW ALL THE MONEY THERE WILL GO HELP FIGHT CF. SO COME ON UP TO THE PARTY AND HELP US FIND THE CURE FOR CF
