Welcome to Bubbles Week, 15 - 21 August 2011

Bubbles Week is the Cystic Fibrosis Association's theme for 2011 Awareness Week, when we aim to raise recognition, awareness and understanding of this genetic condition.

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) affects over 500 people and their families in New Zealand, and as it is classified as a rare disorder the Association gets very little funding from the government.

The Cystic Fibrosis Association aims to raise awareness of the condition and to raise funds to further the Association's objectives: to provide support (welfare assistance, fieldworkers, grants & scholarships), education, communication, advocacy and research.

Please support the events below, or make a donation either online or give to one of our collectors on the street.

Thank you for your support!

Events & Activities

» CF Northland

Sun 14th Aug Northland branch organised a sponsored skate at the rink in Kerikeri. Skating was from 9am-7pm and some awesome people skated the whole 10 hours. The day was packed with events including two hockey exhibition matched from the local Northland Stingray team. A live band from Kerikeri school of music and local band Thelonious Punk. There was also some Roller Derby where the Keri Krushers took on Whangarei Northern Lights, and a dance routine from Kerikeri ladies 'Skating on thin ice'. We had some great sponsors with prizes including a Giant kids mountain bike and some inline skates . It was good to have the new branded CF pens, wrist bands and stickers too.

So far we have raised $1'600 with sponsor money still coming in.
As a fundraiser it was great family fun day and we hope to make this an annual event. We love inline skating and know we are very lucky to have such a great rink on our doorstep.

CF Northland would like to thank all those sponsors who helped make the day successfule: Pit Stop Kerikeri for the bike, DD Gold for not only donating 20 t-shirts but embroidereing them too for free, Hunter Cycles, Ice and Inline, Deanna Pielak-Jones, Sound Lounge, Kerikeri School of Music, Bay Sports, Stingray Ice Hockey Team, Liquid Health, Fullers, Cheapskates, OfficeMax, McFadziens for providing some well needed foot care!

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» CF Central Districts

Wanganui celebrated Bubbles Week 2011 with a sausage sizzle and stall at Majestic Square, in the centre of town, on Saturday 20 August. The bubble machine pumped out bubbles down the main street and Saturday shoppers were enticed by the delicious aroma of barbecued sausages.

Anna Scoullar-Jones, Erin Bartrum and Erin's mother Madeline McCrea ably manned the LJ Hooker marquee festooned with balloons, streamers and Bubbles Week posters, doling out sausages, drinks, chocolate fish and CF merchandise to the masses on a beautifully sunny day. It was their inaugural event of this kind in the region and was deemed a great success.

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» CF Otago

Bubbles are being used this week as a symbol to promote greater understanding of the cystic fibrosis, Cystic Fibrosis Association of New Zealand membership liaison officer Julian Cox said.

"We wanted to raise awareness for cystic fibrosis and this seemed a good way to do it. It's like the Cancer Society with Daffodil Day, only bubbles are cheaper to produce and a bit more fun."

Mr Cox said the secret to the bubble recipe was using a mixture of detergent and lubricant, which gave the bubbles elasticity and meant they could be made much bigger than normal.

Cystic fibrosis, which causes mucus in the body to become thick, blocking ducts and tubes of body organs, is the most common life-threatening, genetic condition affecting New Zealanders. One in every 25 people in New Zealand carries the CF gene.

Volunteers will be out and about collecting donations next weekend.