When the Santa Speedo Shuffle takes over Lake Burley Griffin on Sunday 29 July, three-year-old Dash Dewey will have seven teams of Santas in Speedos running in his name.
Dash was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at two weeks of age, and, since then, the Dewey family have been consistently managing his condition, carrying out treatments, administering daily medications and being vigilant to the potential risk of infection at all times.
“Currently Dash has medication morning and night, as well as before every meal. He also does a nebuliser treatment every morning followed by physiotherapy, as well as another nebuliser treatment every night,” Dash’s mum Carly Dewey says.
The Santa Speedo Shuffle for Cystic Fibrosis is an annual fundraising event held on the last Sunday in July, raising funds and awareness for Cystic Fibrosis ACT (CFACT).
Teams of Santas will strip down to their swimsuits and “shuffle” around Lake Burley Griffin, aiming to smash their team fundraising targets of $650.
Carly says the Dewey family will be getting behind the event this year for the fourth year in a row.
“We have seven teams representing Dash this year so far and we are so grateful to our friends and family for getting behind us,” she says.
Dash has recently become a big brother to Theodore, which Carly says was a difficult process through Pre-implantation Genetic Testing IVF. “… We were able to give Dash a healthy sibling who wouldn’t pose a risk to his health due to cross infection and other issues CF siblings face.”
The Santa Speedo Shuffle is Cystic Fibrosis ACT’s main annual fundraiser, and relies on the event to fund support services.
“They provide us with expensive and necessary medical equipment; they help us pay for Dash’s activities like swimming, which are so important in keeping him healthy and strong,” Carly says.
“They are our first point of contact if we need advice, [they] help with communicating our needs to our medical teams and in putting us in touch with other families as Cystic Fibrosis can be very isolating.”
While registrations for Santa Speedo Shuffle have now closed, registrations are open until the day for the Crazy Christmas Jumper Walk. The walk is open to all those who want to join in the fun of the Santa Speedo Shuffle and support CFACT without taking on a fundraising target.
For more information, to register or make a donation to CFACT, visit santashuffle.org.au
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