In 2007, Jessica and Billy Shrum of Gallatin, TN welcomed twins Gaby and Gage into the world. A week later, they discovered that while Gage was fully healthy, Gaby was born with Cystic Fibrosis (CF), a genetic disorder that causes severe problems with breathing and digestion.

Early on, the Shrums focused on getting the testing and medicine Gaby needed to survive. They admittedly feared the worst as they spent many nights at the hospital during Gaby’s younger years.

“It was a scary time,” said Jessica. “We wanted her to have a normal life, go to college, and have kids.”

According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, CF affects close to 40,000 people in the United States alone, but the positive news is that the life expectancy for someone with CF has increased dramatically since it was first treated in the 1950s. Today, many people with CF live into their 50s, and some people have even lived past 80 years old. However, there’s currently no cure for the disease.

Historically, many research projects for CF were funded by families and parents of people with the disease. The Shrums followed suit and began hosting multiple fundraisers for CF when the twins were three years old. They were determined to do whatever it took to increase funding for research that could improve the health of Gaby.

Over the last 12 years, the Shrum family has raised more than $350,000 for CF through fishing tournaments, golf tournaments, walk-a-thons, and yard sales. The fishing and golf tournaments take place each May during Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month. Every dollar of the capital raised has been donated to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Middle Tennessee. 

“All the money goes to research,” said Jessica. “Every $10,000 funds one research project. One year alone, we raised nearly $35,000.”

This year’s fishing tournament is scheduled for Saturday, May 27 on Old Hickory Lake. The event, sponsored by Shrum’s Roofing Company, Volunteer Boats, and Pro3 Properties, has become a popular, highly anticipated fundraiser.

“It’s the biggest  tournament on Old Hickory Lake,” said Billy. “Around 150 boats show up. Everyone has a great time.”

When asked why he sponsors the fishing  tournament, Volunteer Boats owner Rick Hunter said, “Billy is a good friend of mine, and his daughter has battled (CF) her whole life. They’ve been in and out of Vanderbilt [Children’s Hospital] so much.”

Lisa Curtis, the owner and managing partner at Hendersonville’s Pro3 Properties, has been a good friend to Jessica and Billy for nearly 30 years. From the beginning, she has helped the Shrum family by planning and executing fundraising events as well as donating towards the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Middle Tennessee. 

“I didn’t realize how many (CF) kids there were until we started doing these benefits,” she explains. “I will always be a major donor until they find a cure.”

Each year, the fishing tournament gets off to a spectacular, stirring start. That’s because the Gallatin Fire Department brings one of its trucks and hangs a large American flag from a raised ladder before the singing of the National Anthem.

To register for the tournament, call 615-675-4489 or show up early the day of the event at the boat ramp across from Flippers (currently closed) in Gallatin. 

You’ll likely be welcomed by Gaby, who will be signing in all the participants. She’s been doing very well and has not been to the hospital in over three years thanks to a recently approved children’s medication. She and her family should be proud to know they are making a positive impact on all CF patients.

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About the fishing tournament sponsors:

Shrum’s Roofing Company is owned by Billy and Jessica Shrum. It was established in 1976 by Billy’s father and was taken over by Billy in 1997. They do both residential and commercial roofs, siding, and gutters. You can learn more about their business by visiting https://www.shrumsroofing.com/.

Volunteer Boats, located in Gallatin, was established by owner Rick Hunter in 2019. Rick and his crew are all fishermen who love the craft and thrive for 100 percent customer satisfaction. They sell two brands of fishing boats, Thor and Falcon, and also restore boats. You can check them out at https://www.volunteerboats.com/.

Lisa Curtis is the owner and managing partner of Pro3 Properties in Hendersonville. Pro3 Properties has more than 15 years of collective experience in commercial property management, sales and leasing. Their experience enables them to provide building management with a hands-on, cost effective approach to details in day-to-day building operations. Visit https://www.pro3properties.com/ for more information.