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They ride for 5-year-old Cora Beaver, who was diagnosed with the illness shortly after birth

When David Beaver and his 9-year-old daughter, Brenna, crossed the finish line of the Buffalo Bicycle Classic in September, they were met with the sounds of cowbells ringing and family members loudly cheering.

It was Brenna’s first time to do the 10-mile Little Buff ride, so it was special in that respect, but beyond that, every Buffalo Bicycle Classic ride for the past five years has felt especially rewarding for the Beaver family, which has spearheaded efforts to field a group of riders for to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Cora is the name of David and Brittany Beaver’s youngest daughter, age 5, who was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis in 2019, just two weeks after her birth.

Cora (left) and Brittany Beaver (Photo: Beaver family)

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a rare inherited disorder that can cause severe damage to the lungs, digestive system and other organs. CF affects the cells that produce mucus, sweat and digestive juices, which are normally thin and slippery. However, in people with CF, a defective gene causes the secretions to become sticky and thick, plugging up tubes, ducts and passageways—especially in the lungs and pancreas.

In years past, many children born with CF did not survive into adulthood. And while there is no cure for the disease, lifespans for children today with CF have increased greatly, thanks to medical advances and disease management efforts,

Brittany Beaver says receiving Cora’s diagnosis was tough on her entire family.

“Our faith has gotten us through all the hard moments. Also, staying connected to our family and community and the CF Foundation has been instrumental in helping us through the ups and downs of the disease,” she says.

Raising money for a cure

Beaver says it was her father-in-law, Dave Beaver, who spearheaded Team Cora Force as a fundraiser, driven by a passion to raise money to find a cure for his granddaughter.

“In 2019, he rallied literally everyone he knew—and continues to do so—to ride for Cora. He sends emails, has meetings and sends out texts often to remind people and invite them,” she says.

In other parts of the country, the CF Foundation has its own organized rides to raise funds to find a cure for CF, but Beaver says the Rocky Mountain chapter discontinued its annual ride around the time of COVID. So, Dave Beaver organized a group of his friends to ride in the Buffalo Bicycle Classic, with donations riders raise benefiting the CF Foundation, she says.

“My mother-in-law (Doreen Beaver) actually worked at the university for 30-plus years, so we have strong roots at CU, and that’s why we wanted to do the ride there,” Beaver says. “Plus, it’s a great ride, we love the area, and because of the location it was easy for (the riders) to be able to attend.”

Cora Beaver on her scooter at the Buffalo Bicycle Classic (Photo: Beaver family)

Organizers of the Buffalo Bicycle Classic have allowed the CF Foundation to have a booth at the event every year, which Beaver says has been a great way raise awareness about CF, efforts to find a cure and Team Cora Force.

As for the riders on Team Cora Force, Beaver says they are easy to spot, thanks to their distinctive purple and gold bike jerseys with the words “Breathe In” on one side and “Breathe Out” on the other. She says riders participate in all levels of the Buff ride, from the 10-mile Little Buff to the 100-mile Front Range Century and everything in between.

Ridership on Team Cora Force has grown every year, currently averaging between 35 and 40 participants, according to Beaver.

“Our goal is always to raise about $40,000 a year with our team for the CF Foundation,” she says. “I don’t know what our exact number is for this year, because we leave it open where people can continue to donate after the ride, but we always raise quite a bit of money for the CF Foundation under Team Cora Force. All gifts are tax deductible, because it’s a nonprofit, and people donate whatever they feel comfortable giving.”

Beaver estimates Team Cora Force has generated about $200,000 since it first started its fundraising efforts. And while she acknowledges the goal is ambitious, she says she would love to see the group raise $1 million in total for the CF Foundation by the time Cora is ready to attend college.

“We love raising money for the CF Foundation, which is just a remarkable organization,” she says. “They do so much, not just to help find a cure, but they do much more for us families. With CF, it’s just a very difficult disease and it affects our everyday lives a lot, so we’re grateful for everything they do to help us. I don’t think that our experience as parents of a little one with CF would have gone as well as it has without the CF Foundation; they’ve been truly remarkable.”

Beaver says that, for their part, riders have remarked how satisfying it’s been for them to arrive at the finish line to find Cora and other Beaver family members congratulating them.

“It’s always really sweet, because Cora is often at the finish line with her little cowbells, cheering them on,” she says. “It’s not uncommon for riders to have a few tears in their eyes at the end, knowing they did this hard ride to raise money for the CF Foundation, and seeing Cora there to welcome them.”

Top image: David Beaver (left) and daughter Brenna at the Buffalo Bicycle Classic (Photo: Beaver family)

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