I love helping people and making a difference for others, that's why I loved being a paramedic. Unfortunately Cystic Fibrosis caused me to retire but didn't make me stop trying to help others. This page is not about sponsors I have. As a matter of fact, I don't have any sponsors. I have really never been interested in having any sponsors. This page is to tell you about two organizations that I support, my foundation, The Kevin A Przybyl Breathe Easy Foundation, and Give Kids the World.
In January 2010, I created the Kevin A Przybyl Breathe Easy Foundation. This foundation is my legacy, something that my son will be proud of and something I hope will help hundreds of patients even when I am gone.
Cystic fibrosis is a deadly genetic disease for which there is currently no cure. A decade ago, its victims seldom survived into adulthood. Through the years, advances in research, treatments, therapies, and medications have pushed the average life expectancy well into the 30's and even 40's. While this is an incredible milestone, and a tribute to the hard work and dedication of those searching for a cure, it also brings to light another unfortunate burden for the CF patient. As CF patients live longer and longer, the costs of keeping them alive continues to escalate. Increased insurance costs, hospital expenses, medications and therapies, not to mention basic living expenses, leave the CF patient and their families struggling to make ends meet. On average a CF patient with insurance will spend over $15,000 a year. Many CF patients are forced out of work due to chronic infections, making it even more difficult to cover the costs associated with this disease. With government budget cuts and the lack of any other assistance programs available, in 2010 it became necessary to form the Kevin A Przybyl Breathe Easy Foundation, Inc. in order to help bridge the gap between what these patients CAN afford and what they MUST afford in order to survive. Our goal is to help these patients not only survive, but thrive with an improved quality of life, one they may not have been able to afford without our help. The foundation functions 100% by volunteers, so no salaries allows us to give almost every cent to patients.
I also support Give Kids The World is a 70 acre resort again mainly run by over 4,000 volunteers a week that gives terminally ill children a week of dreams that includes Disney, Universal Studios, pretty much anything they want. That even includes bass fishing. . As a child with CF I did not have the opportunity to get a wish but I am thrilled to have been able to give several children, including some with CF their wish to catch a trophy bass.
Learn more about how you can help terminally children at Give Kids The World.
