HAVERHILL — There are lots of things a girl might ask her friends to bring as gifts to her 11th birthday, such as a book or a board game. But Kathryn Morgan of Bradford, who recently completed fifth grade at Bradford Elementary School, only wanted to see a cure for the cystic fibrosis that her 4-year-old neighbor, Emily Reid, was born with.
So while waiting for the school bus to arrive one morning in May, Kathryn approached Emily's mother, Melissa Reid, and said she would ask her friends to bring a donation for the fight against the disease to her party instead of gifts.
Reid thought it was a sweet thing for Kathryn to do, but soon forgot about it.
"A few weeks went by and one day Kathryn came to our house and handed me $50 for cystic fibrosis," Melissa Reid said.
Kathryn told The Eagle-Tribune the idea came to her after Emily's family had taken part in the annual Great Strides walk for cystic fibrosis. That one was in North Andover the second week of May.
"The kids who came to my party thought it was really nice and that it was a good idea," said Kathryn, who turned 11 on May 26. "Instead of getting things, you're doing something for other people and it could potentially save their life."
She wants so much to see the young girl she often baby-sits to live a long and healthy life.
"She's always eager to see me and often asks if I can come over and play games," Kathryn said. "She usually runs up to me in an excited mood."
Jennifer and Tom Morgan weren't surprised at their daughter's desire to forgo gifts from her friends.
"She's a very sensitive girl who is always looking for ways to help others," said Jennifer Morgan.
Melissa Reid said children often talk about things they want to do, but in the case of Kathryn Morgan, "she actually followed through with it."
"I sent the money off to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation," Reid said.
Kathryn hopes her idea will catch on with other children her age.
"I don't know if it will, but I hope the word gets out," Kathryn said. "It's a really good thing to do."
When Emily was born, the life expectancy of a person born with the disease was 34, her mother said. Through medical research, it is now 37.
"Each year it gets a little better," Melissa Reid said.
The symptoms of the disease can range in severity, she said, and in the case of Emily, they include sinus problems and a susceptibility to catching colds and to lung infections because of a compromised immune system.
"She is very petite, which is characteristic of children with CF," Melissa Reid said. "We have to be really vigilant about hand washing and avoiding people with flu and colds."
She said you might never know Emily has cystic fibrosis by simply looking at her.
"The problem with this illness is, it doesn't get enough attention because the kids present so normally," she said.
Both families have children attending Bradford Elementary School, including Heather Reid, 7, Alexander Reid, 9, Emily Reid, 4, who will attend this fall, as well as Grace Morgan, 7, who is best friends with Heather Reid. The Morgans have a son, Tommy, who is entering high school this fall.
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