"These children must receive the best therapy possible," they agreed.
After months of thorough research, seeking an affordable, accessible destination with the right climate, Mr. Wolkenfeld reflects, "We were blessed to find a beautiful location in Key West, Florida."
Key West’s tropical island climate, rich in natural ocean salt air and pollution-free, has proven highly effective for CF patients. This ocean environment helps open and clear the lungs, loosen mucus build-up, increase appetite, and reduce infections and hospitalizations by as much as 50%.
Just ten days at LifeShine’s Family Respite Homes can provide a child and their family with months of improved breathing, energy, and quality of life.
Each home is a private and isolated ‘Garden of Eden’ boasting a canal, saltwater pool, fully stocked library and media center, and hotel-style amenities.
In Key West, FL, the therapeutic effect is maximized with constant exposure to the salty ocean air.Young Elisheva, a CF patient, wrote a three-page letter describing how miraculous it felt to be in Lifeshine’s Family Respite home, “For the duration of our stay, I was just breathing the way normal people breathe.”
The expression of such sentiments is heartbreaking, as it brings home the realization that children with CF and their families would give up everything, just to have what we barely think about, the ability to breathe normally.
Cystic Fibrosis has no cure, but time spent in Key West’s unique high-salt, oceanic climate provides powerful, medically proven relief.
The salty air naturally loosens the thick mucus in patients’ respiratory and digestive systems, leading to easier breathing, improved appetite, and a significant reduction, up to 50%, in lung infections and hospitalizations.
The impact lasts well beyond the stay. For six to eight months after returning home, children breathe easier and live more fully.
Just as vital, families return emotionally recharged, with renewed hope, resilience, and the strength to face the challenges ahead. Their time at LifeShine’s Family Respite Home leaves an imprint of healing, carrying them forward until their next stay.
