At Cardinal Maritime we believe in hard work, team work, and giving something back.  We are involved with Charity work through the Cardinal Trust and as we love a challenge, 15 members of staff* are under taking the Tough Mudder event on 12^th September 2015.  More information on this event can be found here - https://toughmudder.co.uk/events/what-is-tough-mudder

We will be taking on this mammoth task of endurance in order to raise money for the Manchester Adult Cystic Fibrosis Centre at Wythenshawe hospital.  The money will go towards providing more care to the patients as well as new equipment and amenities.

This charity is close to our hearts due to one of our colleagues, Chris Grogan, suffering from this illness.  We hope you can help us reach our target and if you would like to cheer us on at the event, get in touch and we will provide information on supporters tickets.

Here is Chris’ story:

“When work told me that they were going to raise money for the Manchester Adult Cystic Fibrosis Centre in Wythenshawe hospital I was very pleased as I lost my brother to the illness 7 years ago and I myself am a sufferer. I was diagnosed at 4 weeks old and was very ill as a baby. My family thought I wasn’t going to make it but somehow I pulled through after months in hospital. I tend to lead a normal life but with chronic chest problems it is difficult.

A usual day for me is getting up and doing inhalers in the morning, followed by physio to clear my chest for the day. I have to take a range of tablets throughout the day with meals and snacks as CF patients cannot digest food properly. I also suffer from CF related diabetes so have to inject insulin as well with my food. After doing this for 26 years I am pretty use to it all, but still get a little self-conscious with taking tablets and injecting in public. CF affects people in a range of different ways, some days you can be feeling great and can tackle anything and the next you are struggling to breathe and have a chest infection which can floor you for several days/weeks. I have been very lucky with my illness, I know others that I follow on twitter who unfortunately cannot say the same.

Last year I had to be admitted to hospital twice to have a routine boost of antibiotics, I have been in 4 time in the past 4 years which is very good going for a CF patient. In my teenage years I was very lucky not to be admitted whatsoever, 

When I was younger I was always worried about the illness, when I was growing up the life expectancy of a person with CF was 30 years of age, but due to all the work in science and medicine the age range has increased, not by much but as I am getting older and feeling the way the way I do I’m not looking at 30-35 as the limit, I am looking beyond that and hoping to reach a very old age. A way to combat that is to do what I have done this year which is cut out all sweets, chocolate, junk food, fizzy drinks and alcohol, so far this year I have been feeling great.

Cardinal Maritime have raised money for the CF unit and the team there are very grateful for any individual support they receive. The staff at the hospital would do anything to accommodate the patient and funding is very important. I myself am thankful to Cardinal also, I have been here 7 years at the end of March and although I have had a lot time off with my illness they have been so supportive and understanding.”