7th annual Shamrockin for a Cure event again big success

The Krakosky and Hauss families hosted the 7th annual Shamrockin for a Cure Cystic Fibrosis Fundraiser at St. Clair County Event Center last month.

Over 100 raffle items were available including baskets, gift cards and items donated by local businesses, family, and friends.

Attendees enjoyed a corned beef and cabbage dinner, plus additional food items, for an entry fee. DJ Kamp from K&J Sounds and Lighting provided live music, and bounce houses were available for kids. Serra Honda in O’Fallon, Savannah Motors, Grey Eagle Distributors, and U-Mark sponsored the event, which raised $15,000, with all proceeds benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

This cause is especially impactful for the families, as a family member was diagnosed with CF at 6 months old and continues his fight against the life-threatening disease at 17 years of age. The 8th annual Shamrockin for a Cure event is scheduled for March 2021. To make a tax deductible donation online to Cystic Fibrosis, please visit https://fightcf.cff.org/site/TR/GreatStrides/38_Gateway_St_Louis.

What is Cystic Fibrosis?

According to the Cystic Fibrosis website, CF is a progressive, genetic disease that causes persistent lung infections and limits the ability to breathe over time.

In people with CF, mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene cause the CFTR protein to become dysfunctional. When the protein is not working correctly, it’s unable to help move chloride — a component of salt — to the cell surface. Without the chloride to attract water to the cell surface, the mucus in various organs becomes thick and sticky.

In the lungs, the mucus clogs the airways and traps germs, like bacteria, leading to infections, inflammation, respiratory failure, and other complications. For this reason, minimizing contact with germs is a top concern for people with CF.

This story was originally published April 1, 2020 at 12:00 AM.