sweatember
This year I’ve signed up for Sweatember, an initiative to get people moving through the month of September to raise funds and awareness for cystic fibrosis. Joining Sweatember means committing to daily physical activity, whether it’s walking, running, cycling, or any other form of exercise. I’ve made up some workouts around significant numbers in the history of cf which you can check out below. Sweatember is a way to support myself and others affected by this genetic condition. By participating, I hope to contribute to research and support programs that make a real difference in the lives of people with cf. If you're looking for motivation to stay active this September, Sweatember provides a meaningful purpose behind every movement.
The numbers these workouts are based on are - 65, for 65 roses - 1938 the year cystic fibrosis (CF) was first recognised as a distinct disease - 1989 the year researchers discovered the gene that is responsible for cf - 2014 the first year the adult cf population surpassed the child cf population in Australia. More info below
Full Equipment Workout
Amrap 65 minutes
19 cal machine
3 thrusters
8 cleans
19 cal machine
89 single/double unders
20 cal machine
14 toes to bar
Limited Equipment Workout
Amrap 65 minutes
19 single dumbbell goblet squat
3 double db devil press
8 double db shoulder to overhead
19 double db floor press
89 single/double under
20 double db walking lunges
14 double db deadlifts
No Equipment Workout
Amrap 65 minutes
19 push-ups
38 air squats
19 sit-ups
8 burpess
9 plank up/downs
20 lunges
14 v-ups
If you have a go at one or all of these tag @tesscali_images and @cf.ultra.tri on instagram and let me know how you go. Alternatively if you want to join me for a workout one day get in contact so we can organise something, either at a gym you attend or the no equipment version anywhere else. Below I’ll leave some facts about my cf and also more information on the reasoning behind the numbers.
First up why 65 minutes, the number 65 is significant in the cf community as it is a representation of the international symbol of cf which is 65 roses. The story behind 65 roses can be found on the cff (cystic fibrosis foundation) website, cff is a non-profit organization that funds research and drug development to cure cystic fibrosis (CF) based in the USA. The "65 Roses story" is an anecdote from 1965 where a 4-year-old boy, Richard "Ricky" Weiss, hearing his mother appeal for cystic fibrosis (CF) research, was inspired to tell her, "You are working for 65 Roses". The term "65 Roses" is a child's mispronunciation of cystic fibrosis, and it has since become a powerful symbol of hope, strength, and the need to find a cure for CF, often used by children with the disease and in awareness campaigns
Not so fun fact 1: Literature from Germany and Switzerland in the 18th century warned "Wehe dem Kind, das beim Kuß auf die Stirn salzig schmeckt, es ist verhext und muss bald sterben" ("Woe to the child who tastes salty from a kiss on the forehead, for he is bewitched and soon must die")
In 1938 American pathologist Dorothy Andersen first recognized cystic fibrosis as a distinct disease. She was the first to describe the characteristic cystic fibrosis of the pancreas and to correlate it with the lung and intestinal disease prominent in CF
Not so fun fact 2: It is widely theorized that the famous Polish composer Frédéric Chopin lived with and died from cf, symptoms such as respiratory issues, gastrointestinal problems, the lack of any descendants (even though sexually active) and his sister's premature death from a similar illness at age 14 are all sighted as possible evidence, he was 39 when he died in 1849.
The groundbreaking discovery of the cystic fibrosis gene (CFTR) by a Canadian research team led by Dr. Lap-Chee Tsui happened in 1989. This was a monumental achievement in human genetics, as it was the first disease-causing gene ever identified and has since led to new age gene targeted therapies including one that has changed my life, Trikafta.
Not so fun fact 3: A couple of years ago I worked out that I have spent over 2 years of my life in hospital, that’s just as an inpatient so doesn’t include the days spent at specialist appointments or medical tests, of which there have been too many to count. My longest stint between admissions was 7 years, my shortest time between admissions was 7 days. My longest cf related hospital admission that I can remember was around 26 days and the shortest was 7 days, however most are 10-14 days.
Lastly we get to 2014, a monumental year in Australian cf history as it’s the first year the adult cf population surpassed the child cf population. What this means is that treatments and medications were finally starting to win the battle, this allowed people with cf to live longer and better lives
Not so fun fact 4: The median age of death for someone with cf between 1979 and 2005 rose from 12.2 years to 27.9 years for males and from 14.8 years to 25.3 years for females. While it has continued to rise, 2022 it was 44.2 years (for reference I'm currently 42), it’s still well below the general population of around 80+ years.