Come on…be a little selfish!

Everyone is a little selfish every once in a while. Sure, some are a lot more than others, but the way I see it everyone, absolutely everyone, is a tad selfish because even when doing a selfless act…you're doing it because it feels good. Yes, you're doing it because you want to help and give back and do for others, but you do it because it makes you feel good to do it. Whatever "IT" is, you do it because it feels good, otherwise you wouldn't do it.

Selfish is a word people dislike because many believe being selfish means you don't care for anyone but yourself. But the only time being selfish is bad is when one does bad things to others--or even themselves--in order to feel good. Being selfish by doing good is not bad! So where am I going with this?

May is CF awareness month and Great Strides season. It's the time of the year where I put on a bigger selfish cap and start spreading the word about CF, asking for money for a CF cure, asking for your time during fundraisers, asking for you to ask others, to ask others, to ask others to do the same. I do it in the name of Andrea, my first born, born with CF. I do it in the name of all CFers. I do it in memory of those we've lost to CF. I do it because we're so close to helping thousands live longer, healthier lives. I do it because others are doing it. I do it because it makes me feel good to do IT! {{BREATHE SUSIE}} I do it because I NEED TO DO IT!

May is also the month of my birthday and Mother's Day. I'm going to be very selfish right now and tell you what I want you to give me for my birthday or Mother's Day or for both days. However, I need you to do this by May 14th. How's that for putting pressure onto my selfish request?

The bureaucrats in DC (via the Social Security Administration - SSA) want to control whether someone with cystic fibrosis is eligible for disability benefits by bureaucratic standards, not by CF doctor's standards. If left unchanged, the proposed rule would keep people with CF who cannot work from accessing these critical resources...meaning life saving medicine and care they need to LIVE.

The SSA recently proposed changes that could make it more difficult for people with CF to receive disability benefits. Please note that these are proposed changes—not final. And this is where my gift request comes in…

Your advocacy efforts may help prevent the SSA's proposal from taking effect. Would you please click the link below and take 25 seconds (that's how long it took me) of your day to fill out the pre-filled out form to send to your State's Senator asking them to reconsider this revision?

http://hq-nu.salsalabs.com/o/50674/p/dia/action3/common/public/index.sjs?action_KEY=7993

And if you want to take more time, click here to learn more about the CF Foundation’s work on this issue.

That's it. That's all I want for my birthday or Mother's Day or both. You can do it more than once too. :) Oh, I'm being extra selfish now, asking you to do this twice! 

Seriously though, having you take time to do this would mean the world to me but it would mean more to those with cystic fibrosis. I hope you'll consider my request. 

As always...

Forever in your debt and with much love,

~ Susie

CF mama desperate for a cure!