Eat. Pray. Dean

05/02/2026

𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐂𝐅 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡 - 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫...thank you for being a part of Team Eat. Pray. Dean

This weekend is the Cystic Fibrosis Great Strides walk and we thank every single person that has already donated. Truly, you are all a massive part of Deans story!

04/21/2026

It is a big day in our house…Dean just got his driver’s license! We don’t ever take birthday’s for granted here but this one is not only a reminder of how far he’s come, how strong he is, and how much we have to be grateful for but also a bit of excitement…independence (in mom’s minivan) really does look good on him.

The Cystic Fibrosis Great Strides walk is on May 2 this year, we won’t be there in person because Dean will be at a volleyball tournament and honestly, that is something we are so very happy to celebrate because he takes pride in health, his strength, and he doesn't ever stop giving his all.

All this progress is made possible by research, support, and a whole lot of prayer. What’s even more encouraging is what is ahead: there is so much in the pipeline right now, all pointing toward what we pray will be the ultimate cure for cystic fibrosis. We’d love your help continuing that progress and hope you can give, share, or pray with us, it means more than you know. 💜

xo

~Team Burns

Great Strides Donation: https://fundraise.cff.org/southsuburban2026/eatpraydean

04/05/2026

He Is Risen!

Today is a reminder of the hope we have in our Lord.
What feels uncertain isn’t the end of the story, and what feels heavy isn’t without purpose.

Because He lives, we can trust Him in the waiting, in the unknown, and in the everyday moments in between.

We’re so grateful for a Savior who brings life, peace, and renewed hope.

Wishing you and your family a beautiful Easter filled with His love. ✝️

03/31/2026

16 looks good on this "kid!" Grateful to be his momma and so thankful for the way he attacks life with such happiness, positivity, and love. He strives to do his best in every situation, setting goals, always wanting to improve and better himself. He is generous with his time and his heart. He takes steps all day, every day to keep healthy and everything is always "fantastic!"

He is a killer pickleball player and always our superhero!

Love you budsers! xoxo

12/31/2025

We are full of gratitude for 2025, and so many answered prayers. We walk forward trusting Jesus and fundraising with hope for every family affected by CF. 💙

https://fundraise.cff.org/southsuburban2025/eatpraydean

11/06/2025

The world lost an unbelievably inspiring man: full of joy, kindness and the type of champion you want on your team. Besides his immeasurable talents and his way of connecting with everyone he met, he had a heart for those in need. We will be forever indebted to the hours he spent planning and teaching thousands of middle schoolers why we help those in need and practical ways of how they could help. Then raising tens of thousands of dollars for the CFF. Words alone can't describe what he means to our family. We have been blessed to know him, to benefit from his work, and to learn how to be more Christ-like from him. Our hearts are hurting for his family but we can only imagine Dave being greeted in Heaven with a glorious 𝕎𝕖𝕝𝕝 𝕕𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕞𝕪 𝕘𝕠𝕠𝕕 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕗𝕒𝕚𝕥𝕙𝕗𝕦𝕝 𝕤𝕖𝕣𝕧𝕒𝕟𝕥.

https://www.clancygernon.com/m/obituaries/david-wonder/

Share Memories and Support the Family.

08/10/2025

A victory worth sharing…Cystic fibrosis isn’t just a lung disease—it affects digestion, metabolism, inflammation… really, the whole body. One of the lesser-known challenges is blood sugar instability. Many with CF eventually develop CF-related diabetes (CFRD), and for a while, it looked like we were heading that way with Dean. His glucose levels kept rising, and we were gently being prepared for a visit to an endocrinologist.

But after a long stretch of working to get his liver enzymes in check from the modulator he is on, we felt ready for this glucose challenge. And Dean was just as determined. He’s been eating more veggies (fortunately he loves broccoli), swapping processed snacks for berries and yogurt, sticking with his apple slices and peanut butter, and (this was huge!) cutting way back on soda. But sometimes that isn't enough so we had to take it a step further. We tried a clean brand of supplements that’s quietly made a big difference for our whole family, but especially for Dean. No medical claims—just sharing what’s helped support Dean's body. CF puts a lot of stress on the body, and these products have supported him in ways we’re so grateful for. Every marker is now "in the green", our appointments are 3 times a year instead of quarterly and he only needs bloodwork 1x a year instead of quarterly. Little wins, big rewards! I truly believe these tools were placed in our path for a reason—and if they can bless someone else, I’m grateful to pass that blessing along.

We’re still learning, still walking this road one step at a time. Praying and trusting in the Lord to lead us—but this summer, we’re celebrating a big win. A win that means not another specialist, not another visit, not another layer of worry added to the pile. Just a little more peace, and a whole lot of thankfulness for the grace that got us here.

“The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.” — Isaiah 58:11

This is his superhero picture from our clinic last week, where he had an astounding 127% PFT, his highest ever!

06/14/2025

💜 Dean is a fighter, a light, and an all-around awesome teen. Cystic Fibrosis is only a part of his story—he is forever our superhero and always tackling each day with courage, joy, and more grit than most adults we know.

We couldn't (literally) attend the Great Strides walk this year but we're asking your continued support walking alongside us as we raise support for research, treatment, and ultimately, a cure.

We’ve put together a short newsletter that shares an update: how he’s thriving, and how you can continue to be part of something truly hopeful—a future full of possibility.

If you’re curious, inspired, led to help, our newsletter is in the comments.

Thank you for loving our family, understanding that 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 help 𝒉𝒂𝒔 & 𝒊𝒔 making a difference, and standing with us as we trust God for healing and hope. 💜 xo

04/07/2025

Another year with the awesome Delta Phi Epsilon ladies "Kickin' It for a Cure 2025!"
Thank you ladies for your dedication to helping raise funds for a cure for Cystic Fibrosis!

Delta Phi Epsilon - Beta Rho Chapter at UIC

https://fundraise.cff.org/southsuburban2025/eatpraydean?tab=MyPage

04/02/2025

How is this possible that our baby is behind the wheel with his drivers permit? I thank God for everything that he is and every opportunity that he has had. Please continue to pray. Pray for his health. Pray for a cure. Pray for his safety. 💜

What better way to celebrate then with some Dave's Hot Chicken 🐔