Colin's Clan Holds Benefit to Work Towards Cure for Cystic Fibrosis

Last week, Colin Walsh, of Naperville, crossed the finish line of his third triathlon. The 10-year-old had seen his uncles, Mark and Bryant Krizik, complete countless triathlons, often finding Colin before the finish to lift him up and carry him across the finish line. But Colin hasn’t fully crossed his own finish line on the way to a healthy life just yet. Mark, Bryant and the local community are hoping to help.

Colin was born with cystic fibrosis, an inherited genetic disease that causes the body to overproduce mucus, clogging the lungs and halting the production of enzymes that help the body break down food. CF affects about 30,000 people in the U.S., and most people with CF have a life expectancy of about 35 years old, according to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Every day, Colin spends three to four hours per day getting treated for CF. In a week, that is an entire 24-hour day's worth of treatment. There is currently no cure for Cystic Fibrosis, but researchers are getting closer every day.

Watch this video from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to learn more about Colin and cystic fibrosis.

Since Colin’s birth in 2003, Mark and Bryant have been doing triathlons to raise awareness and funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF). This year, the brothers decided to do something different: a CFF benefit with a silent auction, live music, food and plenty of fun.

A Summer Night for Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Colin will be Thursday, July 11 from 6 to 11 p.m. at Rock Island Public House, 13328 Olde Western Ave., in Blue Island. A $25 donation entitles patrons to two craft beers and appetizers from Maple Tree Inn Restaurant, a restaurant near the pub.

On top of their efforts to help Colin, the brothers Krizik are both Posen, Ill., firefighters and have decided to honor the Prescott 19, the 19 firefighters that died battling a wildfire in Prescott, Ariz., two weeks ago.

“The fire service as a whole is just a tight-knit group,” Bryant says, “And we thought, for us to come together with that tragedy so close to us, we need to at least take some time and memorialize them.”

While the benefit will give back to the firefighting community, its main goal is to help Colin and those with CF by raising money and awareness. Colin’s family has seen him fight back against CF for years, and Bryant says watching him finish his triathlon last week was just another way in which Colin has succeeded in fighting back. As he raced towards the finish last Saturday, he passed one last runner, which made getting that medal at the finish line that much sweeter.

“Watching him come through the finish gate and trying to beat out another kid just shows his determination, which is something that comes from a long time of taking all the medicine,” Bryant says, “And, you know, he’s headstrong. He needs to be.”

All are welcome at Thursday’s benefit, which will include prize packs from several Beverly-Mt. Greenwood area businesses, including Beverly Bike, Sweet Freak and Blossom Boys. The Rock Island Public House will be donating $1 from every beer purchased to CFF, so patrons who do not wish to pay a full $25 donation are still encouraged to come by the pub.