LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Ms. Ashley Fabio upon the occasion of
her designation as recipient of the Katie's Courage Award by the Cystic
Fibrosis Foundation

WHEREAS, It is this sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and pay
tribute to those young adults within this great Empire State who have
made strong contributions to their communities and who serve as role
models for their peers; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body joins the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in
eager anticipation of the day when CF no longer stands for Cystic Fibro-
sis, but for "Cure Found"; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Ms.
Ashley Fabio upon the occasion of her designation as recipient of the
Katie's Courage Award by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation on Saturday,
January 28, 2012, in Buffalo, New York; and
WHEREAS, Cystic Fibrosis is a life-threatening genetic disease that
causes mucus to build up and clog some of the organs in the body,
particularly the lungs and pancreas; when mucus clogs the lungs, it can
make breathing very difficult; mucus also causes bacteria (or germs) to
get stuck in the airways which causes inflammation (or swelling) and
infections that lead to lung damage; and
WHEREAS, The Katie's Courage Award is named after Katie Ozog, who
passed away from Cystic Fibrosis (CF) in 2003 at the age of 22; Katie
Ozog epitomized courage and coordinated multiple fundraising events,
such as a Great Strides walk site and a "Step Up for a Cure" race in
Buffalo; and
WHEREAS, Katie Ozog was a recipient of a double lung transplant and
competed in the 2002 Transplant Games in Florida; she touched many lives
with her spirit, zest for life, and incredible courage and was a magnif-
icent person and role model for those in the CF community; and
WHEREAS, Ashley Fabio was born December 28, 1988 at Women's and Chil-
dren's Hospital in Buffalo, New York; the night she was born she under-
went several surgeries to remove and fix a bowel obstruction; three days
after her birth, a sweat test was performed diagnosing her with Cystic
Fibrosis; and
WHEREAS, After a necessary second surgery and eight weeks in the neo
natal Intensive Care Unit, Ashley Fabio was released; from a young age,
she desired to sing and dance; those desires were admirable aspirations
for someone diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis; and
WHEREAS, However, that diagnosis did not discourage Ashley Fabio's
participation in the arts; she began to play the clarinet and bass clar-
inet at the age of nine leading to her success in the All County Band
and All State Orchestra; and
WHEREAS, Future acting classes throughout high school led to musical
performances in "Beauty and the Beast", "Annie", "Guys and Dolls" and
"Seusical the Musical"; when healthy, most of Ashley Fabio's teenage
years were spent being as active as most teenagers; she was a dancer,
enjoyed traveling with family, and was a swimmer for four years until
complications associated with Cystic Fibrosis made it more difficult to
continue these activities; and
WHEREAS, After graduating from Grand Island High School in 2007,
Ashley Fabio received the Solvay Pharmaceuticals Scholarship Award and
the Erin Masling Scholarship to attend Niagara County Community College;
she attended the NCCC Radiologic Technology program graduating in 2010
with an Associate in Science degree; and

WHEREAS, Ashley Fabio is presently working at Suburban Dialysis were
she hopes her experiences living with a chronic illness can inspire her
patients to get the most out of their lives; her experiences have
brought her to the point of sharing her life story and raising awareness
about Cystic Fibrosis; and
WHEREAS, An optimistic woman who believes that with hard work and
discipline anything is possible, Ashley Fabio inspires everyone to be
involved with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation with her cheerful disposi-
tion and positive outlook; she truly personifies the Katie's Courage
Award; and
WHEREAS, A true asset to society, Ashley Fabio's distinguished record
merits the recognition and respectful tribute of this Legislative Body;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Ms. Ashley Fabio upon the occasion of her designation as recipient
of the Katie's Courage Award by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation; and be
it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Ms. Ashley Fabio.