Kory Jenkins was two years old when his baby sister Jenn was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. His parents were told that Jenn might make it to her 2nd birthday, so they should enjoy the short time they would have to spend together.
As it happens, Kory has already spent more than 30 years with his sister! Jenn will turn 33 this fall, and like many other tough and determined adults with CF, she continues to defy the odds.
Over the years Kory has done what he could to protect his sister, however CF has often forced him on to the sidelines. He could only watch as Jenn took on the painful challenges that come with cystic fibrosis, including hours of daily physio, hospital stays, IV tubes and difficulty breathing. This feeling of helplessness often left Kory frustrated and angry, wishing that there was something he could do to ease the burden of her fight against CF – even if it was just for one day.
In 2009, he was inspired to find a way to join Jenn in her fight for exactly one day. Kory has trained Muay Thai for many years, and he decided that he would fight for Jenn by training Muay Thai for 24-hours straight! He teamed up with his wife Tina and together they put on the first Kickin’ 4 The Cure fundraising event. They brought together friends, family and supporters from the martial arts community and raised over $2,500 for Cystic Fibrosis Canada.
This year, on the last weekend in April, Tina and Kory put on the second Kickin’ 4 The Cure event, and brought out more than 100 supporters to New Era Athletics in Richmond, BC. When asked why he took on this incredible challenge, Kory says “I’ve been protecting my sister my whole life, it’s what I do. This is my way of fighting for her and all the other kids out there with CF. They need to know that someone is out there fighting for them!”
This unwavering dedication, along with the encouragement of his wife and family kept him going in those early morning hours when he was feeling tired, sore and nearly spent.
Together Kory, Tina and their community raised over $3,000 for Cystic Fibrosis Canada in honour of Jenn. We would like to offer the Jenkins Family our heartfelt congratulations and thanks for their courage, enthusiasm and determination to continue the FIGHT against cystic fibrosis.
[nggallery id=4]
