The 2012 NEXT Swim Collection is going to do more than just turn heads at the beach, or provide that extra support to the stand up paddler rolling along the waves in Maui, it will be supporting the team working diligently to find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis. NEXT has stepped up to be the national sponsor of the CF Pipeline to a Cure Program. Big news.
Last Sunday, the SwimSpot crew took part in a Cystic Fibrosis Pipeline to a Cure event in Newport Beach at the NB Aquatics Center. At the event kids with CF spent some time in the Back Bay learning how to Stand-Up Paddle (SUP) from World Champion Dave Kalama. SwimSpotters also dipped our toes in the water, but we made sure the attention was directly placed on the wonderfully brave kids who came out and had an absolute ball. If you haven’t tried SUP, get out and go for it. The kid in all of us splashed around on those big boards. Joining us at the event were Suzanne, Lisa, and Robin – three NEXT Brand Ambassadors, each of which SUP, and each of which have a soft spot in their hearts for children with CF. It’s always great to hang with the NEXT team.
At the event it was announced that NEXT was going to make a year-long donation pledge in support of CF. Every NEXT women’s swimsuit and active wear piece will feature a special hangtag that will celebrate CF’s Pipeline to a Cure program. NEXT is all about SUP and the waves. Pipeline is all about providing surf and SUP resources and programs to those who need it most – kids with CF.
SUP is one of the fastest growing sports in the US. And NEXT equally as fast is becoming the women’s swimwear collection most closely associated with the craze. With its NEXTFlext fabric that breathes and flexes, while also providing SPF 50 sun protection, the women’s swimwear collection is making waves. And with the recently announced partnership with CF, those waves are going to touch the lives and hearts of thousands of children and young adults affected by CF across the nation.
SwimSpot partnered with CF & Pipeline to a Cure last summer. So we know how important the cause is and how committed their volunteers are in pursuit of finding a cure. We had a blast. And the experience was equally as awarding for us as it was for the kids and their parents. Collectively, every smile we saw could be summed up as AWESOME!
For those of you who don’t know what Cystic Fibrosis is, CF is a genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 70,000 children and young adults worldwide (30,000 domestically). The average lifespan for people with CF who live to adulthood is approximately 35 years. It’s a tough disease to live with to say the least. And our hearts go out to those affected: the kids, their families, friends and other loved ones.
So what has NEXT committed to? Why the big hullabaloo? In addition to committing to donate a portion of worldwide sales to the national CF Foundation, across the country NEXT will be recruiting brand ambassadors who will help drive awareness of the NEXT/CF/Pipeline program, and the need to cure those with CF. Pipeline is relatively new to the scene. In fact, our crew last year volunteered at one of the first Pipeline events to take place in the US.
Pipeline to a Cure in essence was created by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to herald the discovery by Australian researchers who found that CF patients that surfed and SUP’d had significantly healthier lungs. Doctors determined that inhaling saltwater mist has a powerful effect on rehydrating the lining of the lungs, which allows CF patients to more easily eliminate bacteria-contaminated mucus. So thanks in part to Pipeline, CF kids and volunteers hit the water. Get active. Have fun. Breathe in the sun and sweet salty mist air. The ocean has never been more forgiving and loving than it is when those kids are out there on their boards riding the waves. Smiles abound.
The Pipeline Campaign helps to raise awareness for the cause, leading to increased fundraising. Those funds are then invested on research to develop a cure to CF and for treatments to improve the quality of life of those afflicted. Additionally, the funding supports ongoing programs where CF patients are afforded the opportunity to participate in water sports.
So NEXT has stepped up. SwimSpot has stepped up. We encourage you to step up. Join us in helping to improve the quality of life of kids who are born with a disease which they are forced to live with everyday. In helping them, you will be helping yourself. It’s all good.
Please contact us if you have questions, suggestions, or would like to get in touch with the NEXT team. Email me directly at Chris@SwimSpot.com.
Here’s to finding a cure!
Chris
Swimspot
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