The program educates students about the life-threatening genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive systems of about 30,000 children and young adults in the United States. It also gives the kids a chance to make a difference in the lives of those with CF by competing with one another to see who can raise the most money for research for a cure.
The students will collect pennies on Monday, nickels on Tuesday, dimes on Wednesday, quarters on Thursday and dollars on Friday. A donation Friday will allow a child to wear blue jeans to school that day.
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Anna Kate Casanova, director of special events, said the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is “one of the most efficient” non-profit organizations in the United States.
“Ninety cents of every dollar goes to treatment programs and to research that we feel certain will lead to a cure,” she said. “We’re getting so close. We’ve added 10 years to their lives in the past 10 years.”
When the CF Foundation was started in 1955, a child with the disease was not expected to live to attend elementary school, said Casanova. Today, such a child is more likely to live to his or her mid 30s, she said.
The foundation would like to keep extending the life span, and Casanova urges everyone to get involved by sending their children to school with “change for the cure” this week.
As of Friday morning, the participating schools were: Angie Jr. High, Annunciation Catholic School, Bogalusa Jr. High, Bogalusa High School, Bowling Green School, Enon Elementary, Franklinton Primary, Franklinton Elementary, Franklinton Jr. High, Mt. Hermon School, Northside School, Pine School, Pleasant Hill, Varnado Elementary, Varnado High School and Wesley Ray Elementary.
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