Jordan Yocham likes to hang out with friends, ride four-wheelers with her brothers and cousins and play games on her Sony Playstation console. But it’s not so easy for the Gas City 13-year-old.
Since birth, Yocham has suffered from cystic fibrosis, a congenital disease that causes thick, sticky mucus to build up in the lungs, digestive tract and other areas of the body, forcing her to spend chunks of each day on treatment and medication.
“It really affects me because I like going outside and playing but I can’t because I have to take all my treatments,” she said.
That’s an understatement, said Hanna Hoffman, Yocham’s cousin.
“Jordan has had to be in the hospital more times than we can count and it also causes her to be on feeding tubes,” she said.
Because the public isn’t as familiar with Yocham’s disease as it is about cancer and diabetes, Hoffman said the hurdles faced in aggressively pursuing a cure are high.
“Very few people know anything about cystic fibrosis, let alone what it is and what causes it,” Hoffman said.
To help bring about more awareness, Hoffman is asking non-profit organizations like Great Strides and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, to help her host the first of what she hopes will become an annual 5k walk/run April 28 in Moran.
“After the walk or run, depending on which people do, they’ll be able to take advantage of the vendors we’re going to have,” she said. “There’ll be music, too, so it’s just going to be a fun-filled day.”
Sign up for the fundraiser starts at 10:30 a.m. with the gun sounding at 11.
No registration fee is required, however, Hoffman is asking participants to raise whatever money they can for the walk/run.
“They can put together their own team or come as an individual,” she said. “They can set a goal and start collecting.”
Event shirts are available for $10 each but must be ordered by April 14.
For more information about the event contact Hoffman or mother Kim at 620-363-0790 or 620-363-0437 respectively.
“It feels really good to know I’m loved,” Yochum said of her cousin’s efforts.
