Thanks to the Legacy Foundation, a young cystic fibrosis patient can receive therapy on the go.
Amanda Rutherford has cystic fibrosis, a genetic disease that causes mucus to build up in her lungs, making breathing difficult. To combat this, she wears an inflatable vest attached to a machine that vibrates, loosening and thinning chest mucus. Twice a day, she wears the vest for 30 minutes. If she’s not feeling well, she wears it every four hours.
In the past, Amanda, a Brick resident and lifelong patient of the Comprehensive Cystic Fibrosis Center at Monmouth Medical Center (MMC), had to be home for the therapy because the vest had to be plugged into a wall. The equipment limited her movement for hours. Now, she has a portable vest thanks to a generous gift from The Legacy Foundation, which was created by Colton Underwood, a former NFL player and star of ABC’s The Bachelor.
A grateful patient
Amanda heard Underwood mention The Legacy Foundation on a Bachelor episode. Through social media, she learned that the organization planned to give one vest to a cystic fibrosis “warrior” in every state. She applied, submitting an essay on why the vest would change her life. “ When I got the call saying I was the recipient for New Jersey, I was incredibly excited,” she says. On June 30, Amanda received the vest.
“I absolutely love it,” she says. “I can use it while I’m getting ready for work, driving, walking my dog or even making dinner. It has improved my quality of life while allowing me to keep up with my treatments.”
Amanda’s physicians at MMC are equally thrilled. “Amanda adheres to her prescribed therapies and medications and lives a healthy lifestyle,” says Robert Zanni, MD, Chief of Pediatric Pulmonology and head of the Center. “She works hard to take good care of herself, and we’ re so happy she was chosen to be honored by The Legacy Foundation.”
Expert care for cystic fibrosis
The Comprehensive Cystic Fibrosis Center is the oldest and largest center of its kind in New Jersey. A multidisciplinary team of specialists provides care for both pediatric and adult patients. The Center, which is accredited by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and is a member of the Foundation’s Research Network, offers clinical trials of new therapies. A team of trained research clinicians oversees multiple studies.
As a result of its expertise in conducting clinical research, the Center has been named a Therapeutics Development Center by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Therapeutics Development Network. The Center is also designated by the State of New Jersey as a referral center for newborn screening.
To learn more about the Comprehensive Cystic Fibrosis Center at Monmouth Medical Center, call: 732.923.6526.