North Columbus News

Breathe Hope, a student organization at The Ohio State University, has recently organized its second thrift sale to raise awareness and funds for cystic fibrosis research. This event continues the group's tradition of collaborating with organizations such as the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

Melanie Riether, President of Breathe Hope and a third-year medical anthropology major, played a key role in organizing the sale. She highlighted the evolving nature of fundraising efforts: “With the generations changing and the world changing, fundraising is entirely different from what it used to be. So we’ve been trying to take it in different, creative ways.”

Riether emphasized that shopping from big brands is not always feasible for college students who are often on tight budgets. Thus, items sold at the thrift sale were donated by various supporters including members of Ohio State sororities.

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder causing significant damage to organs such as lungs and digestive systems. Earlier this year, Governor Mike DeWine announced that Ohio will expand newborn screening for cystic fibrosis variants to facilitate early treatment.

The thrift sale saw positive participation according to Riether: “This year’s event saw a steady flow of participation, and we received positive feedback from students, making it feel like a step forward compared to last year.”

Breathe Hope plans more events including the 65 Roses Challenge—a fundraiser named after a child who pronounced cystic fibrosis as "65 roses." For this challenge at Ohio State, roses will be sold on Valentine’s Day and preceding day in The Oval to raise awareness and support research.

As an official student organization at Ohio State, Breathe Hope benefits from campus size which aids in engaging students effectively. Riether stated: “The size of the campus allows us to engage more students, creating awareness about cystic fibrosis in ways that align with their passions.”

Riether believes that increased awareness will bolster support for Breathe Hope's objectives within the university community. She expressed: “We always like to say at Breathe Hope: We want students to be aware of how thankful they should be for the lifestyle that they have."