8th Annual Joker’s Wild Casino Night Benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
On February 15th, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation hosted their 18th Annual Joker’s Wild Casino Night at the beautiful Hilton McLean. Over 300 supporters raised $150,000 for cystic fibrosis research, care and programs.
Event Chairs Carl and Judy Riedy started the event in 1990, and have brought on Walter and Lisa Whitt to join as Co-Chairs. The Riedy’s son, Chad, who has CF (Cystic Fibrosis), and his wife, Julie, lead the Young Professionals Committee. In addition to supporting a cause they are all passionately dedicated to, they provided guests with a unique night of gaming and entertainment from cover band, Standing Room Only.
Cystic Fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease affecting approximately 30,000 children and adults in the United States. More than 10 million people are symptomless carriers of the defective CF gene, and about 1,000 new cases of CF are diagnosed each year. CF causes chronic lung infections and difficulty digesting food and nutrients. The current predicted median age of survival for a person with CF is in the early 40s, and there is no cure.
Today, the Riedy’s are grateful for the Foundation’s aggressive approach in drug development and discovery, saying, “Through the progression of this event, we have watched the Foundation develop a series of new drugs and therapies that have added not only years, but quality, to our son’s life.”
In January, Chad and Julie welcomed Tate Robert, their second son. Besides the miracle of another grandson, Carl and Judy are seeing firsthand the hope and continued success that the Foundation has created. Chad has been in the current Phase III trial for Vertex 809 since August 2013, a global trial with 1,000 patients. VX-809 coupled with the successful drug Kalydeco, approved two years ago, attacks the basic genetic defect. Together, they can significantly improve the lung capacity and the health of over 50% of the CF population. On January 24, Chad had his final examination in the trial and was officially placed on the drug.
“So, now we wait and hope that it will stop the ongoing deterioration of his lungs, increase their capacity, and improve his health,” says Carl.
If approved by the FDA, this drug will be a major advancement for Chad and the nearly 15,000 others living with CF. Carl adds, “This is well beyond our wildest dreams back 30 years ago when he was diagnosed and his life expectancy was 12. We are blessed and can say with great confidence; every dollar raised is well spent by the Foundation!”
While the progress of the Foundation is clear, there is still much to do to ensure all CF patients live a long and healthy life! The Foundation depends on the dollars raised to promote future advances in CF research and medicine. For more information about the Joker’s Wild Casino Night and other CF events, please contact The Metro D.C. Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation at 301-657-8444.
