Kinette Club of Claresholm hosts Walkathon for Cystic Fibrosis

By Rob Vogt

The heavy rains let up, and the sky broke, just in time for the Kinette Club of Claresholm to take the track for their annual Walkathon.
Walkers converged on the Willow Creek Composite High School track on Sunday, June 22, to raise money and awareness for cystic fibrosis.
After everyone gathered for a group photo, two people deeply affected by cystic fibrosis shared their stories of inspiration and perseverance.
Dana Cummings was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis after birth.
“I’ve battled CF my whole life,” she said.
“Statistically, I shouldn’t be here,” she said, adding she was never supposed to reach adulthood.
However, that changed due to the grace of God, the support of her family, and her own will.
“I have defied the odds,” Cummings said.
In 2019, she was on oxygen full time. The next step was a double lung transplant.
Then, she was granted access to a drug called Trikafta.
“Almost over night, my whole life changed,” Cummings said.
Now, she could do things she never could before.
“I got my life back,” she said.
Instead of getting a double lung transplant, she began fertility treatments.
In 2022, she and her husband welcomed their daughter Kate into the world.
Suzie Turcotte-Smith has a daughter and two brothers with cystic fibrosis.
Her daughter Claire started Trikafta when she was 10.
Now she swims, plays basketball, volleyball and so much more.
“She has been given the life so many CFers 35 years ago would never get,” Turcotte-Smith said.
She stressed the support and fundraising by people such as the ones who turned out Sunday, makes a difference.