Charity of the Year – Years…

We are so incredibly grateful to all the fabulous workers at West Pharmaceuticals in St Austell who choose to support Just Breathe Cornwall and make us their Charity of the Year. And as if that wasn’t exciting enough, theres more epic news! The West company work on a 3 year rotation which means we are their charity for the next 3 years! How fantastic is that!!!

We were invited to take a look around and we were surprised and truly grateful for the amazing work they do.

West Pharmaceuticals have a really close connections with Cystic Fibrosis, as they make several vital pieces of medical equipment that people with CF rely on to stay well. Inhalers, glucose monitors, insulin pens and vials to name but a few. Walking around the factory was like walking around my kitchen.

To have such generous support will make a massive difference to what we are able to provide to those with CF here in Cornwall.

Our Personal Training packages have been really successful and therefore, this additional funding means will will be able to roll the program out to more children and adults.

Research proves that exercise is vital for keeping the lungs healthy and we are now a step closer to reaching more families.

€5000 🥳

Thank you

Personal Trainers Wanted

Just Breathe Cornwall are looking to develop our bank of countywide Personal Trainers to work with adults and children living with Cystic Fibrosis. Working in conjunction with the team of CF physios at Treliske we are looking to provide outreach, 30 hour community person centred PT programmes. If this is something that you would be interested in being a part of please get in touch⌨️📱☎️justbreathecornwall@gmail.com

You will need to have………

🏆A current DBS check,

🏆A nationally recognised PT qualification (pre & or post 16)

🏆Degree/HND- or equivalent qualification in Sports Science

🏆A GP referral / exercise for specialist populations

qualification

Only people meeting the above criteria need apply.

Please support us in spreading the word by sharing this post, helping us in our mission to find people that want to be part of a really special project 🙏💛🌟

Cornwall Salt Rooms

We’ve teamed up with Tommy from the ‘Cornwall Salt Rooms’ to offer those with Cystic Fibrosis here in Cornwall discounted rates to visit this amazing facility.

Tommy knows only to well the benefits of salt therapy for those with CF as he too has the condition.

The Cornwall salt rooms are located in Newquay, and are available for both adults and children. If you would like to learn more about salt therapy please get in touch or contact Tommy direct 07415 958205

Annual Parents Evening

Hopefully you’ve all received your invites for this years annual parents evening. It’s a great opportunity hear the latest news in the CF world and get to meet other parents. We have some yummy food and drinks organised so please make sure you let the CF Team at Treliske that you are coming so we can cater accordingly. Looking forward to seeing you all.

Just Breathe Cornwall receives Charitable Status!

After a busy but successful first year of fundraising, Just Breathe Cornwall has received Charitable status. We have now successfully changed from a small local organisation to an official charity.

Thank you to everyone who has supported us with this mission, we are truly grateful and extremely excited for this next chapter to begin.

We are hoping this means we will be able to apply for grants for bigger companies to enable us to support more families in Cornwall.

If you work for a large business or know a large business that is looking for a charity to support please put them in contact with us.

Morgan completes 2.5 mile run and helps a little girl in the process.

Morgan is 15 and has Cystic Fibrosis.

In October he took part in the Junior Great South run. His second ever competitive race.

Morgan completed the race in 9 minutes & 33 seconds, which is a fantastic achievement considering his lung function had dropped to 40% last year. Morgan has been concentrating on his fitness and has only been running since July this year. He’d always found running a real struggle because of his reduced lung function. However, since joining the gym he has had the confidence to push himself further. His first run was a 1 mile run in Sticker where he came 5th, which inspired him to carry on. This next race was 1/2 a mile further and he did it in an even faster time. He is now training for the 10 mile Great South Run next year.

Morgan knows what it’s like to struggle not only with running but with anxiety too, so when he saw a young girl, on a previous race, completely freeze and refuse to go any further, he could empathise and felt the need to help her in some way.

Morgan said “she was so close to the finish line, I couldn’t bear to see her not complete it”

Morgan stepped in and took his little dog, Lottie, over to her, in the hope this would distract her from her fears and enable her to complete the race.

Thankfully it worked and they crossed the finish line with smiles all round.

Never say Never

A few days before Aiden turned 7 months old, he learned to walk! Yep I here you, 6 month old babies can’t walk! Well this one could!

As we know, when you have autism, you do not follow the rule book, nothing is ever straight forward, except in this case it was quite literally that, straight forward (but not as we know it!)

Aiden was, in a physical sense, extremely rigid. He didn’t bend easily. He hated lying or sitting down and was only happy when he was up right. Everyone would say, ‘he’ll be much happier when he can walk, he won’t be so frustrated’. I longed for the day.

We spent hours on end bouncing him up and down in an upright position, anything to stop his constant moan. But, because of this, he never learned to crawl or bum shuffle or in fact, he couldn’t even work out how to get from a lying to a sitting position.

The picture Above was taken the day Aiden walked. Gorgeous I know – but looks can be deceiving!

Aiden was absolutely no help to himself whatsoever. He could walk ‘straight forward’ and that was it!

Most babies/toddlers crumple to the floor when they fall, not Aiden, he didn’t bend! So he would fall flat on his face, he didn’t even put his arms out to save himself. Once on the floor that was it, he didn’t know how to get up, not even to a sitting position, so he would lie face planted to the floor and screem! Yey, the walking stage was great fun!

He was probably about 18 months before he’d worked out how to stand up and confidently change direction while standing – that was a long year!

Once Aiden had established walking, he decided he didn’t much like it anymore and gave up! Not always, but just when he felt like it – which just so happened to be every time I needed him to!

He has pretty much refused ever since! Walking was on his terms only and just the thought of having to walk somewhere would send him into complete meltdown!

Aiden has hyper mobile joints and his body’s way of dealing with this is to stiffen. He was like a little robot. He couldn’t tell me until more recently that he was in pain, so I didn’t know. On top of this he also has Cystic Fibrosis.

But let me tell you, Aiden surprises me everyday! The child who refused to walk anywhere, just took part in a 10 mile race!

He just completed The Great South Run. It took him 2 hours and 20 minutes, he didn’t run it all, but he did it!

He was in control, it was his choice when to jog or when to walk and he slept for a week after, and is still hobbling, but he did it!

Will him come to the woods for a walk next time I ask? Unlikely! But, if you’d have asked me when he was 5, 10, 15 years old, do you think Aiden will ever take part in a 10 mile race? I would have said ‘NEVER!’

Never underestimate the strength within!

Aiden, ran with his Dad and friend Ian and between them raised a whooping £500 for Just Breathe Cornwall.

#Proud