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Raise a glass to a great cause on Kevin's page
Kevin O'leary
Kevin O'Leary
Sparknotes version:
· Brewer's Ball returns on Friday, June 7, 2024, from 7-10:30pm on the DC Wharf. The event will feature unlimited food and drinks from local restaurants and microbreweries, live music and dancing, and a live auction, all included with your ticket.
· Tickets are available for purchase through this page, and more info about the event can be found here.
· Even if you cannot attend, please consider donating to support the cause.
· All the funds raised by the event go directly to the CF Foundation, funding innovative therapies needed to help people like my brother, Casey. We have made huge progress towards fighting CF, but too many people are still waiting on their miracle drug.
· We are on the precipice of major breakthroughs in treatment for all those living with Cystic Fibrosis. With your support, we can make CF stand for Cure Found.
-----
Many of you know that my family is a huge part of my life. Relatedly, a lot of you have met my younger brother, Casey. If you have, there are certain things you may have picked up right away -- the fact we look more alike every year, his infectious laugh and smile, his love for the Nationals, his addiction to lifting, and so on. What you probably wouldn't realize at first glance is that Casey has Cystic Fibrosis (CF), a genetic disease targeting the lungs and digestive system.
Behind the scenes, Casey does a lot every day just to live a normal life. 25 pills just to eat a normal three meals. Two hours of therapy and inhaled medications each day. A recent two-week stint tethered to an IV for a "tune-up" antibiotic cycle. Despite all this, he lives an incredibly active lifestyle and soaks up every last drop that life has to offer. Every day, he fights his fight and still manages to live the rest of life more fully than most of us. Every day, I am inspired by him. He is one of the strongest people I know.
Within the past few years, some amazing CF drugs have been developed with the support of the CF Foundation (CFF). Now, around 90% of CF patients benefit from an oral medication. This drug treats the disease well enough that their symptoms are minimized and they do not require as intense of a daily routine. Those of you who have supported Casey and the CFF for years will recognize what an amazing accomplishment this is. These drugs are the main reason why the CF life expectancy has risen from around 30 when Casey was diagnosed to the mid-40s today. Your help and the amazing work of scientists and the CFF have made this happen.
Casey is not eligible to take these miracle drugs. His CF is caused by what are termed "rare" or "nonsense" CF mutations. The CFF is dedicated to finding a cure for all CF patients and is now focusing in on rare and nonsense mutations. Their motto is "until it's done." Research and clinical trials are currently underway, not only to develop medications to treat symptoms for these patients, but also for a true cure - an end to CF, for all patients. Both of these goals are within reach, but the science and the process cost a lot of money.
Not long after Casey's diagnosis, my parents joined the committee for an event called "Brewer's Ball" and, one year later, took over as the chairs of the event for the next 15 years. In the process, they turned it from (in their words) "a classy kegger" into a well-known ball, hosting many of the area's best microbreweries and restaurants at some of the coolest venues in DC, including Nat's Park and the National Building Museum, and (for the first time in 2022) the DC Wharf. I am extremely proud of all that they have accomplished and have been humbled to participate on this committee with them.
We’re excited to announce that Brewer's Ball is returning to the Wharf from 7-10:30pm on Friday, June 7, 2024. For those of you who have not had the chance to attend previously, the event will feature:
· Live music and dancing
· Unlimited food and drinks from top local restaurants, breweries, wineries, and distilleries
· A live auction
· Beautiful views of the Potomac River from the pier of the Wharf in DC
· And, making his triumphant return after a one-year hiatus, the attendance of Casey
Tickets are $150, and every cent will go directly towards funding the innovative research needed to ensure people like Casey are not left behind. VIP tickets, which get you an extra hour at the event and access to an indoor area with special vendors, are $250.
I hope you will strongly consider attending Brewer's Ball and/or making a donation. I cannot stress this enough -- no amount is too small, and even a $10 donation still makes a real difference.
Throughout my life, I have been consistently overwhelmed by the support (financial, emotional, and every other kind imaginable) that my friends have shown my family and me. We have come so far, and are so hopeful about the opportunities to come as long as we keep our foot on the gas. Every little bit counts as we strive to make CF stand for Cure Found.
· Brewer's Ball returns on Friday, June 7, 2024, from 7-10:30pm on the DC Wharf. The event will feature unlimited food and drinks from local restaurants and microbreweries, live music and dancing, and a live auction, all included with your ticket.
· Tickets are available for purchase through this page, and more info about the event can be found here.
· Even if you cannot attend, please consider donating to support the cause.
· All the funds raised by the event go directly to the CF Foundation, funding innovative therapies needed to help people like my brother, Casey. We have made huge progress towards fighting CF, but too many people are still waiting on their miracle drug.
· We are on the precipice of major breakthroughs in treatment for all those living with Cystic Fibrosis. With your support, we can make CF stand for Cure Found.
-----
Many of you know that my family is a huge part of my life. Relatedly, a lot of you have met my younger brother, Casey. If you have, there are certain things you may have picked up right away -- the fact we look more alike every year, his infectious laugh and smile, his love for the Nationals, his addiction to lifting, and so on. What you probably wouldn't realize at first glance is that Casey has Cystic Fibrosis (CF), a genetic disease targeting the lungs and digestive system.
Behind the scenes, Casey does a lot every day just to live a normal life. 25 pills just to eat a normal three meals. Two hours of therapy and inhaled medications each day. A recent two-week stint tethered to an IV for a "tune-up" antibiotic cycle. Despite all this, he lives an incredibly active lifestyle and soaks up every last drop that life has to offer. Every day, he fights his fight and still manages to live the rest of life more fully than most of us. Every day, I am inspired by him. He is one of the strongest people I know.
Within the past few years, some amazing CF drugs have been developed with the support of the CF Foundation (CFF). Now, around 90% of CF patients benefit from an oral medication. This drug treats the disease well enough that their symptoms are minimized and they do not require as intense of a daily routine. Those of you who have supported Casey and the CFF for years will recognize what an amazing accomplishment this is. These drugs are the main reason why the CF life expectancy has risen from around 30 when Casey was diagnosed to the mid-40s today. Your help and the amazing work of scientists and the CFF have made this happen.
Casey is not eligible to take these miracle drugs. His CF is caused by what are termed "rare" or "nonsense" CF mutations. The CFF is dedicated to finding a cure for all CF patients and is now focusing in on rare and nonsense mutations. Their motto is "until it's done." Research and clinical trials are currently underway, not only to develop medications to treat symptoms for these patients, but also for a true cure - an end to CF, for all patients. Both of these goals are within reach, but the science and the process cost a lot of money.
Not long after Casey's diagnosis, my parents joined the committee for an event called "Brewer's Ball" and, one year later, took over as the chairs of the event for the next 15 years. In the process, they turned it from (in their words) "a classy kegger" into a well-known ball, hosting many of the area's best microbreweries and restaurants at some of the coolest venues in DC, including Nat's Park and the National Building Museum, and (for the first time in 2022) the DC Wharf. I am extremely proud of all that they have accomplished and have been humbled to participate on this committee with them.
We’re excited to announce that Brewer's Ball is returning to the Wharf from 7-10:30pm on Friday, June 7, 2024. For those of you who have not had the chance to attend previously, the event will feature:
· Live music and dancing
· Unlimited food and drinks from top local restaurants, breweries, wineries, and distilleries
· A live auction
· Beautiful views of the Potomac River from the pier of the Wharf in DC
· And, making his triumphant return after a one-year hiatus, the attendance of Casey
Tickets are $150, and every cent will go directly towards funding the innovative research needed to ensure people like Casey are not left behind. VIP tickets, which get you an extra hour at the event and access to an indoor area with special vendors, are $250.
I hope you will strongly consider attending Brewer's Ball and/or making a donation. I cannot stress this enough -- no amount is too small, and even a $10 donation still makes a real difference.
Throughout my life, I have been consistently overwhelmed by the support (financial, emotional, and every other kind imaginable) that my friends have shown my family and me. We have come so far, and are so hopeful about the opportunities to come as long as we keep our foot on the gas. Every little bit counts as we strive to make CF stand for Cure Found.
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