"65 Roses' is what little children suffering from cystic fibrosis call their disease. (As the following true story illustrates. The words are much easier for children to pronounce.)
Mary G. Weiss became a volunteer for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in 1965 after learning that her three little boys had cystic fibrosis. Her duty was to call every civic club, social and service organization, seeking financial support for cystic fibrosis research.
Mary's four-year-old son, Richard, listened closely to his mother as she made each call. After several calls, Richard came into the room and told his mom, "I know what you are working for." Mary was dumbstruck because Richard did not know what she was doing, nor did he know that he had cystic fibrosis.
With some trepidation, Mary posed the question back to Richard, "What am I working for, Richard?" "You are working for 65 Roses," he answered so sweetly. Mary was speechless. She went over to him and tenderly pressed his tiny body to hrs. He could not see the tears running down Mary's cheeks as she stammered, "Yes, Richard, I'm working for 65 Roses'."
For 39 years, 65 Roses has been used by children of all ages to describe their disease. But making it easier to say doesn't make cystic fibrosis any easier to live with. The ugly fact is that cystic fibrosis is the number one genetic killer of children and young adults in the United States today.
The 65 Roses story has captured the hearts and emotions of all who have heard it. The rose, appropriately the ancient symbol of love, has become the symbol of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.