Welcome to the website of: Stichting (Foundation) CF-Challenge 2012, walking to ' my ' top. Let me introduce myself. I'm Carla van Asseldonk and live in the pretty village of Zeeland in the Dutch province of North Brabant, the Netherlands. I have four wonderful children, all have wonderful partners and I have a beautiful grandchild, called "Mijs". In addition, I am surrounded by many people I love dearly: family, friends, neighborhood, acquaintances, working groups and medical institutions. Since my birth (1955) I have cystic fibrosis (CF) and I am one of the 10 oldest persons with CF in the Netherlands. Due to the support I receive from my family and friends, my optimism and the staff at CF Center Oost Nederland it is possible for me lead my life as normal as possible: 'I have CF, but I am more than someone with CF'.
Friday May 18th 2012, I was climbing the Alpe d'Huez on foot with my 'walking' sister Anneke and other interested persons and under the guidance of Ellen, my pulmonary care nurse and Hanny, my physical therapist. I will collect money in order to stimulate physical activities for children and young people with CF by raising funds for the CF Center Oost Nederland: locations UCCZ Dekkerswald and UMC St Radboud Nijmegen. Within the CF Center Oost Nederland the team created a community for people with CF. Children and young people can write a challenge to get money from the foundation. This can be everything. Perhaps they will do a special sort of sport and their parents don't have money to pay the contribution or the materials, they want to make a survival with family or friends, they want to make a wald of 3 miles and afterwards they may eat pancakes with the whole family or friends, ans do on. This will be called "MyCallenge".
Cystic fibrosis is a hereditary disease where a limited life expectancy is most common. The condition is chronic and there is no cure. CF causes thick, tough mucus causing digestive problems, especially in the intestines and the pancreas. It causes respiratory problems and infections. In the Netherlands 1300 people have CF, half of which is younger than 18 years.
Fortunately, thanks to better treatment methods the life expectancy for people with CF has increased in recent years! To further increase life expectancy and quality of life it is extremely important that (young) people with CF are physically active. The website will help them to be physically active in a way that promotes their health.
Therefore, with the CF Challenge walk 2012, walk to ' my ' top, on May 18th 2012 I raised money for the CF Centre Oost Nederland.
Many people, young and old, with and without CF supported this CF Challenge 2012, walk to 'my' top and on September 2 2012 the notary give a cheque to the CF Centrum Oost Nederland with € 23.713,68!
Thanks for helping to make the CF Challenge 2012 a great success!
Carla van Asseldonk
Ali and Christina are great role models for young women with CF and Ronnie does very well with motivating Cfers to exercise and stay healthy! Inspiration is everywhere...