About
65 Roses Day
Learn all about the reason we use the 65 Roses theme for our national day of awareness.
The 65 Roses Story
Mary G. Weiss became a volunteer for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in 1965 after learning that her three little boys had cystic fibrosis. She was tasked with calling every civic club, social, and service organisation, seeking financial support for cystic fibrosis research.
After several calls, Richard (Ricky), her 4 year old son, came into the room and told his Mum, "I know what you are working for." This came as a shock to Mary as her son did not know what she was doing or that he had cystic fibrosis.
Mary hesitated but asked, "What am I working for, Ricky?"
He answered, "You are working for 65 Roses."
Mary was speechless. He could not see the tears running down Mary's cheeks as she stammered, "Yes, Ricky, I'm working for 65 Roses."
Today, 65 Roses is a term often used by young children with cystic fibrosis to pronounce the name of their disease.
Header image: The Weiss brothers, Richard, 5; Arthur, 7; and Anthony, 16 months.
65 Roses Day supports all those affected by cystic fibrosis.
Each year, our community comes together to sell roses across the state raising much needed awareness and funds for people living with cystic fibrosis.
In 2023, 65 Roses Day raised over $125,000 with over 21,000 roses sold across the state. This year, we need your support once more to raise funds for vital research initiatives and the delivery of services to Western Australians living with cystic fibrosis.
This year's 65 Roses Day takes place on Friday 24 May 2024, but you can get involved at any point throughout the month.
Your effort can make a big impact
There are over 3,700 people with cystic fibrosis in Australia and nearly 400 of those live in WA. Presently, there is no known cure for cystic fibrosis, but researchers are working very hard to find one. This research wouldn't be possible without the support of people like you.
