Teenager with Cystic Fibrosis to bicycle around Colorado for charity

CASTLE ROCK, Colo. - March 7, 2014 - PRLog -- Castle Rock, CO: The Pink Lightning team will be riding around the state of Colorado and southern Wyoming to promote Children’s Hospital Colorado and raise funds as part of the 25th  Courage Classic bicycle tour. The journey will take 43 days covering 1065 miles and will end on Saturday, July 19 at the Courage Classic finish line at Copper Mountain. The ride is meant to encourage kids to overcome their obstacles, remain physically active, pursue their dreams and to spread  stories of courage all while raising funds and awareness for  Children’s Colorado.

You can support Bryan’s ride by donating at http://www.couragetours.com/2014/pinklightning

or ride with him on the tour by visiting http://www.pinklightning.org/. Anyone who signs

up for the Pink Lightning team is invited to ride any segment of the 43-day ride and cross

the finish line at Copper Mountain with Pink Lightning on July 19th.

Bryan Warnecke is 15 years old and has cystic fibrosis (CF). It is during adolescence that  CF does its greatest damage. Bryan’s daily care includes 50 pills and two half-hour respiratory physical therapy treatments—as well as ongoing visits to Children's Colorado.

Why Pink Lightning? Bryan loves hockey and realized years ago that he would not have the lung capacity to skate up and down the ice with as much stamina as others, so he decided to play goalie where his quickness is more important and lung capacity is less important. His goalie coach gave him the nickname "Pink Lightning" because of the pink goalie pads that he wore and because of his lightning quickness.

Bryan was inspired to do the Pink Lightning tour because of his love and gratitude of Children's Colorado and all that his doctor, Dr. Frank Accurso, and the incredible caregivers at The Mike McMorris Cystic Fibrosis Research and Care Center at Children's Hospital Colorado have done to keep him healthy, active and pursuing his dreams. Dr. Accurso, MD, is one of the top CF researchers in the world.

A little over a year ago, Bryan lost the function of the middle lobe of his right lung to a CF related infection. He overcame that obstacle and rode the 157mile Courage Classic last July. Bryan raised over $70,000 (the most ever by a single rider in the event’s history) thanks to the generous support of family, friends and strangers that were touched by his story.

Bryan’s ultimate dream is to be the first person with CF to compete in the Olympic games as the goalie for the USA hockey team. Currently, he is a goalie for the Arapahoe Warriors Midget Minor hockey team which boasts only one league loss this year and first place finishes in three tournaments. He is also a double black diamond skier and snowboarder, long boarder and is active in many other sports. He competes at this level due to the care he receives from the caregivers at Children's Colorado.

Pinklightning.org is a non-profit, fundraising organization for the support of the Children’s Hospital Colorado Foundation.

About Children’s Hospital Colorado

Children’s Hospital Colorado (Children’s Colorado) has defined and delivered pediatric health care excellence for more than 100 years. Founded in 1908, Children’s Colorado is a leading pediatric network entirely devoted to the health and well-being of children. Continually acknowledged as one of the nation’s outstanding pediatric hospitals by U.S. News & World Report and ranked 7th on its Best Children’s Hospitals 2013-14 Honor Roll, Children’s Colorado is known for both its nationally and internationally recognized medical, research, education and advocacy programs, as well as comprehensive everyday care for kids throughout Colorado and surrounding states. Children’s Colorado also is recognized for excellence in nursing from the American Nurses Credentialing Centers and has been designated a Magnet® hospital since 2005. The hospital’s family-centered, collaborative approach combines the nation’s top pediatric doctors, nurses and researchers to pioneer new approaches to pediatric medicine. With urgent, emergency and specialty care locations throughout Metro Denver and Southern Colorado, including its campus on the Anschutz Medical Campus, Children’s Colorado provides a full spectrum of pediatric specialties. For more information, visit www.childrenscolorado.org and connect with Children’s Colorado on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.