Happy 30th Birthday Emily!

Hi everyone, Jess from the Entourage here! Today marks a huge milestone birthday for our namesake and inspiration, Emily Kramer-Golinkoff. To help honor the occasion, I wanted to share a few thoughts about what this date means to me.

I have been celebrating birthdays with Emily for as long as I can remember. If I’m forced to be precise, I guess it’s been around 17 years (!!!) of celebrations. I can easily think back and picture Emily in countless settings, making her birthday wish and blowing out her candles. Whether we were at her parents’ house, our shared apartment, or out to dinner, her birthday treats would make her smile and she would pause, close her eyes, and put her full energy into making a special wish. To celebrate by her side and watch the number of candles grow each year has been a true joy in my life. But despite all the happy moments, I can’t escape reality and watching Emily struggle with her health along with each added candle has made me take her, and my, birthday wishes all that more seriously.

Jess and Emily

When I think about what has been most important about all these years of birthday celebrations, it’s the emotion in the room that first comes to mind. It’s not the Bakery House cake (her favorite!), the party hats, the dancing, or even the infectious laughter. What stands out the most is how grateful and hopeful we feel at each subsequent birthday. Grateful for another birthday spent together, and another special wish, and hopeful for scientific progress, medical advances, and a cure.

When I was young, I couldn’t imagine us turning 30, let alone what it would feel like to celebrate such a milestone together with my best friend. To be honest, I think that at times I was afraid to imagine it- afraid to think of what the future could bring until we find a cure for CF. Then suddenly, this birthday that once seemed so far off in the future is actually upon us! As I prepare to celebrate with Emily this weekend, I once again feel immensely grateful and I am filled with energizing hope. Because here’s the thing- we are doing it. Together, our mighty Entourage is truly making a difference; the scientific progress is tangible and a cure is dangling within our reach.

I want to look forward to countless more birthdays together. To countless more dance parties, special wishes, and Bakery House cakes. To countless more celebrations with Emily filled with gratitude and hope.

I know you’ve heard me say it before, but we are in such an urgent situation that I must say it again. I am asking you- scratch that– I am imploring you to help us on our quest to cure CF. Today, in honor of Emily’s 30th birthday, we want our Facebook status to be shared at least 30 times, with the goal of receiving at least 30 new donations, and I hope you’ll participate!

We need all the help we can get to fund the life-saving research that will propel us to our goal and #keepcandlescoming for Emily, and everyone living with CF.