ON 65 Roses Day people living with cystic fibrosis are recognised, including Ellenbrook resident Caz Boyd who this year celebrates 30 years since having a double lung transplant.

Cystic Fibrosis WA has set the bar high with a fundraising target of $130,000, which they hope to achieve via pre-ordered bouquets (must be ordered before May 17), their Virtual Rose Garden and the 20,000 long stemmed roses which will be available across WA on 65 Roses Day on Friday, May 24.

When Ms Boyd was born in 1971 her mother was told she had cystic fibrosis, and at the time the life expectancy of children born with it was between 12 to 16 years.

Ms Boyd made it to her teens but needed an urgent double lung transplant in 1994, with the life expectancy then being about seven years post-transplant.

She waited 18 months for a lung transplant spending over 12 months in Sydney...with her last three to four months on oxygen and during her last 12 hours prior to the transplant, her physician did not believe that she would survive it.

Ms Boyd is a ray of sunshine in the lives of many and a professional in the health industry by day, but her side passion project is supporting Cystic Fibrosis WA in every which way she can.

She has supported them for over 40 years as a volunteer, regular speaker, board director for more than 10 years, vice president and president.

The 65 Roses theme for the national day of awareness started in 1965 when Mary Weiss became a volunteer for the Cystic Fibrosis US Foundation after learning that her three little boys had cystic fibrosis.

She would call social clubs and service organisations to seek financial support for cystic fibrosis research.

Her young son Richard listened closely when she made calls.

One day after several calls, Richard told his mother he knew what she was working for.

His mother was shocked as four-year-old Richard did not at that stage know that he had cystic fibrosis.
When his mother asked him what she was working for he replied that she was “working for 65 roses’’.

Funds raised throughout May will help CFWA continue to provide support services to people with cystic fibrosis and fund research.

Visit https://www.cfwa.org.au/65roses2023/