By Tim Kelly
Cystic Fibrosis currently has no known cure. However, the disease can be managed.
Ocean City’s Randles boys, Colin and Sean, both diagnosed with CF since birth, are managing just fine.
Colin, who will be an Ocean City High School sophomore in September, and younger brother Sean, who will be a freshman, suffer from the chronic genetic disorder that affects the respiratory and digestive systems.
That hasn’t stopped the brothers from achieving in the classroom, where they have both been recognized for stellar academic work, and in the community, where they are working to combat their condition and to help others who suffer from CF.
About one in 3,000 newborns are diagnosed with the condition, according to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation website. It affects mostly the lungs and breathing, but CF can also impact adversely to other organs, including the pancreas, liver and kidneys.
Several years ago, the boys’ parents, Patrick Randles and Whitney Randles, started a nonprofit organization, The Randles Boys Foundation, to raise funds and awareness, award scholarships and generally become proactive in the fight against CF.
As the boys grow and mature, they are becoming more involved in working with the organization that bears their name.
Both of the Randles boys lead active lives, including playing organized basketball and taking part in school events, their mom said. Those activities increasingly involve work to advance the mission of the foundation bearing their names.
The boys involvement was on display last weekend during their annual fundraiser, named “a Sunday Fun Day to Just Breathe.”
Clancy’s by the Bay in Somers Point played host to the event, presented by the Randles Boys Foundation from 3 to 7 p.m. The fundraiser included food, a beer and wine bar for the adults, music, raffles, a photo booth and lots of smiles and laughs.
More than 110 adults and children attended, with all proceeds going toward conquering CF. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation receives funds generated from the “Fun Day,” Whitney Randles said. Some of the money raised went toward awarding scholarships to an Ocean City High School student and one from Mainland Regional who suffer from CF.
The event also provided the opportunity for the Randles boys to thank and honor a local couple, Jerry and Myra Corcoran for their dedication and efforts to aid the CF Foundation for more than 30 years.
The Corcorans “have truly paved the way for not only our children but all children born with cystic fibrosis,” Whitney Randles said. “Some of the medications and treatments that are available to us today are due to the hard work and tireless efforts of Jerry and Myra to find a cure for CF.”
Colin and Sean were front and center at the event, participating with the presentation to the Corcorans and helping to organize and run the prize raffles.
Though lots of effort went into staging the event, as the name implies, it was mostly about fun.
The crowd enjoyed a hearty laugh when the boys’ grandmother, Rose West, won the raffle for a boogie board donated by Heritage Surf and Sport.
“Sean enjoyed having a DJ playing music, and that many of his friends were there, and Colin’s favorite part is calling the winning raffle numbers and seeing each of the people who win.”
