Family Revitalise

On their return mum wrote to say, "Thank so much for giving us this opportunity to go on holiday. It was very good for [cwcf] as I wouldn't have the chance to take [cwcf]. Before the holiday [cwcf] wasn't having the pep mask, the holiday helped to get him back in the routine and it was great for him having his dad there to spend some time with him as he hardly see him. It did help being way from everyday life as I've been depressed as I find it very difficult some days. When [CWCF] got diagnosed with CF I didn't have clue what it was and I didn't take it very well at all, there are still days that I cry, it's been a roller coaster but I'm getting there."

Mum wrote to tell us, "Firstly let me thank you so much for this holiday and the amazing opportunity it really benefitted [cwcf] in so many ways. It has allowed [cwcf] to have a break from the relentless daily routines, which he deals with like an absolute trooper! Physio, nebulisers and countless pills, most of the time with all of this we find very little down time as a family for much else. [Cwcf] had the time of his life on this holiday. He didn't stop from the moment we got there to the moment we left. He really lived life to the fullest wanting to experience and see everything."

"Thank you all for the wonderful experience we all had in Florida! [cwcf] kept so well the whole trip and has recovered perfectly since being home.

"Thank you all once again we have made some amazing memories [cwcf’s] been great since the holiday eating better, oxygen levels are higher its wonderful.

"Having a proper break as a family does wonders not just mentally but physically too."

We found out 11 months ago that our son had CF aged seven. A month later we found out our daughter aged nine also had CF. There was no time to really take this shocking news in because we had numerous hospital appointments and new medical procedures and physio routines to do with the children, as well as juggling all our other responsibilities.

The children's resilience has been unbelievable, and they have coped so well. It is their amazing strength and character that keeps us going as parents. We had such an incredible time and didn't want to leave. It has been a difficult year for our family but thanks to you we now have amazing memories from this year as well."

"This holiday put a spark back into our family and it gave us a new breath of life and for that we are internally grateful to our CF team for putting our names down for this holiday, to the wonderful CF holiday fund who gave us this opportunity of a life time, to the CFHF team who took the hassle out of all the planning and organising, and most of all to all those who have donated and supported the CF Holiday Fund for giving my family this amazing opportunity."

Thanks to the amazing opportunity that we had with the holiday to Malaga, very kindly donated by the Cystic Fibrosis Holiday Fund, then we as a family were able to enjoy and relax in the most fabulous environment.

The benefits mentally have been profound and the physical wellbeing he has felt through some added Vitamin D from the sun and warm sea air for his lungs is a by-product to the mental well-being for him.

We've had a chance to re-charge our batteries and have some down time, this has had a profound effect on me and left me with happy memories and delightful pictures for us to reminisce about and look back on when and if he has some spells in hospital to remember the good times.

"We had a fantastic week away at CLC World Resorts and are very grateful for the opportunity this holiday gave us as a family.

"The warm weather seems to suit [cwcf] especially when she has a cough or cold and we often find it helps clear the symptoms. Creating memories from days out or holidays is what we like to do as a family where possible. We try to capture these memories in photos or video and often look back with [cwcf] to remind us of the good times we have shared. This holiday provided us with another memory to treasure and look back on and we are very grateful to the charity for this."

"The holiday was for [cwcf] to spend time away from her daily grind at home. The warm dry air also contributed to her feeling really healthy instead of the dampness at home. This really benefited her and on a whole the week gave her a spring in her step.

"During our holiday it allowed us all the talk about CF and everything she goes through. She is 13 1/2 and is now beginning the transitions from child to adult clinics and also her body is changing rapidly. It was good to just sit and chat about all this and how it can affect her if she doesn't look after herself. It really did help ease the pressures of dealing with CF daily and also the year ahead."

As a single mum my daughter with CF is always on my mind, there’s all the worrying that her CF’s going to get worse. I’ve given up my job to look after her so there’s not much money, To get away and to not to think about cystic fibrosis for a while, My daughter was so happy. She could tell the difference in me. It was a kind of therapy for us.

Mum said: “It was a well needed and well received break xx thank you so much! To anyone that gets to visit in the future. Definitely visit The Scottish dear centre! (We went twice!) fed the deer, saw the brown bears and more!”

“My son with CF has had a really tough last 18 months. We all really needed this holiday and loved every second. Here he is in front of his favourite ride at Universal. We got so many photos and captured so many precious memories thankyou, thankyou, thankyou.”

Mum told us, “My son had an amazing time, was on the go from the second he got up and did not stop! Was great to spend the time together as a family. Thank you so, so much it means so much to us all! X”

My family and I are so grateful for our Spanish holiday. You will not believe how wonderful it was for us to go on a holiday. Most of the time, we have to deal with my daughter with CF's medical needs which leaves very little time for anything else. Things have been hard and as such I am not able to return to employment so we have no extra finances for holidays. When you contacted us we could hardly believe it. It felt like a dream.

The CF nurse told us “Mum and Dad do an amazing job looking after her health needs but at times struggle with the emotional effect if having a child with CF. By going on a summer holiday together they will have time to make lots of fun happy memories and hopefully be able to put CF on the backburner for a week at least.”

These two boys have CF. Big brother also has Perthes Disease and prior to this holiday his little brother had suffered from a Wilm’s Tumour. This holiday enabled the family to have some care free time together and fortunately he is still cancer free.

The CF team told us “Mum is carer for the children with one child having CF and another child with significant health needs the pressures are great. Mum has a part time job but would not be able to afford this type of holiday for the family. Child with CF is great at doing her treatments and requires regular IV antibiotics and this will be a well deserved reward for all her hard work.”

Mum and Dad told us "He had a very tough year last year with many hospital admissions and greuling treatments, so to enjoy a lovely, relaxing week away in the sunshine, spending quality time with his family away from the harsh reality of Cystic Fibrosis, was such a welcome respite for him and the family as a whole.”

“It really was amazing we couldn’t have asked for more. The resort was beautiful and they treated us like royalty they couldn’t do enough for us. And you too with helping organise and plan everything and even texting whilst we were there to make sure everything was okay. We honestly can’t thank you enough it means more than you can imagine.” – Mum

“I’d like to thank everyone who was involved with making mine and my families holiday to Florida the most amazing experiences of our lives! This holiday allowed me to spend a lot of precious quality time with my family and we created memories that I will never forget. It allowed me to both relax and get some well needed sun and also explore and try new things which I got to enjoy with my whole family.”

Mum told us her son has severe liver disease and had to undergo banding of the oesophageal varicies in London on three occasions in recent months which has been quite traumatic for the whole family.” The family were further distressed after a close relative passed away suddenly. “I just wanted to message and say a massive thank you for the Holiday to Spain. It was lovely to just get away and spend time together after having a horrible few months.”

Dad told us "My daughter turned 9 at the start of this month, and if you met her she would come across as a bubbly, talkative, happy girl, few suspecting how challenging her life actually is on so many levels... her consultants have now openly said that despite all our best efforts she is quite severely effected by her CF, and that as things stand, they would not be overly surprised if she ends up needing a double lung transplant by her late teens.”