Success Stories

On Wednesday June 20th, 2007, Patricia Phillips and Jeremy Pollard witnessed their vision become a reality with the first annual O’Ryan Project Golf Tournament for Cystic Fibrosis.

When the opportunity to co-chair a charity golf tournament presented by The Barrie Examiner arose, the idea of the O’Ryan Project came very easily to Patricia and Jeremy.  Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a cause very close to their hearts, as Patricia is the mother of two CF children. Her daughter, Kara, was born in 1980 and is presently doing well at the age of 27. But tragically, her son Ryan, who was born in 1979, lost his battle with CF at the premature age of 16.

It was only natural to make the event in honour of Ryan, and raise some much needed funds to help find a cure for the devastating disease. The O’Ryan Project logo, created by Kara, takes on the symbol of the constellation Orion, which is the brightest in the sky.  Known as “The Hunter”, the constellation’s bow and arrow is a symbol of strength, which is a fitting tribute to the life of Ryan.  His spirit continues to inspire those lucky enough to have known him to reach for the stars.

Patricia and Jeremy recognized that it would take many bright stars working together to accomplish the dream of finding a cure for CF, and established a dedicated volunteer committee.  The hard-working group executed a perfect golf tournament at the beautiful National Pines Golf Club, where each player enjoyed a BBQ lunch, 18 holes of golf with a cart, a golfer thank you gift, and an awards banquet and gourmet dinner.  The tournament received rave reviews by all who took part in the event, and this fantastic day raised $16,000 for the CCFF!

Since then, the O'Ryan Project Golf Tournament has achieved success year after year.  In both 2008 and 2009, the tournament raised over $20,000!

Congratulations and a warm thank you to Patricia, Jeremy, and everyone involved in the O’Ryan Project Golf Tournament for Cystic Fibrosis. What an incredible tribute to an extraordinary young man – the Orion must be shining brighter than ever!

Check out www.theoryanproject.org for photos and information on the fourth annual O’Ryan Project Golf Tournament for Cystic Fibrosis in 2010.