7-Up girls donate $2,000 to Cystic Fibrosis

SPARTA — Seven 5th grade girls from Sparta and Green Township joined together this summer to raise money for a cause that was close to their hearts in a fun and unique way.

The girls held a�Breaking Dawn sleepover on Friday, June 7, where they stayed awake from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. the next morning, and solicited pledges from friends and family for each hour they stayed awake.

All seven girls stay up all night (hence the name �7-Up Girls�) and collected a total of $2,016.50 in donations.

Recently, on Friday, July 26, the 7-Up Girls met with Dr. Dorothy Bisberg, the Director of the Knights of Pythias Cystic Fibrosis Center (the Pediatric Specialty Center, Division of Pediatric Pulmonology at the Barnabas Health Ambulatory Care Center) in Livingston.

The girls presented Dr. Bisberg with their donations, and received a tour of the Cystic Fibrosis Center, and learned about the innovations in treatment and the important research the Center performs for Cystic Fibrosis patients.

The seven girls, named Abby, Audrey, Gabby, Isabella, Jillian, Joan, and Madisyn, have all been friends since pre-school and kindergarten at Hilltop Country Day School in Sparta.

The girls also belong to the same Hilltop Girl Scout Troop # 101.

They learned about Cystic Fibrosis and will use their knowledge to spread awareness of this chronic illness to other children at school and through Girl Scout service projects. This cause affects the girls personally, because one of their friends has Cystic Fibrosis and is being treated by Dr. Bisberg.

About Cystic Fibroris
According to the Cystic Fibroris Foundation, Cystic Fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the United States (70,000 worldwide).

It is characterized by a defective gene that causes the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections.

The over-production of mucus also obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes from helping the body break down and absorb food.

Twenty years ago, the life expectancy of a child with Cystic Fibrosis was not more than 25 years; today, through advancements in drug and nutritional treatment and therapy, Cystic Firbrosis patients can live into their 40s and beyond.

Additional information can be found at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Web site: www.cff.org.

The 7-Up Girls will continue their fund-raising efforts in the up-coming school year.