Early Bird Publishing joins fight against cystic fibrosis

CRANFORD, N.J. (Jan. 28, 2004) — Buy a birthday card online from Early Bird Publishing, and you can strike a blow against cystic fibrosis at the same time.

Early Bird Publishing, an independent greeting card company based in Cranford, N.J., is donating 50 cents for every card bought online at its Web site, www.earlybirdpublishing.com, to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The foundation funds research into the disease and works to raise public awareness.

Participation in the program requires that customers have a working account with the online payment system PayPal, available at PayPal.com. Customers need to name the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in the note portion of the PayPal form as they send an order, via e-mail, to info@earlybirdpublishing.com.

There are no shipping and handling fees for orders of $20 or more. Customers who choose not to pay online also may call or fax orders to 908-497-1612.

Owned and operated by John Hartnett, Early Bird Publishing launched its Cards for Charity program recently as a way to help the family of a Cranford third-grader who suffers from cystic fibrosis.

"Curtis is a classmate and friend of my daughter Annabelle. He’s very funny, a talented athlete and on a very personal level, he epitomizes the need to support research efforts to cure this disease," said Hartnett. "I spoke to his parents about starting this project and they put me in touch with the Greater New Jersey Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, where they were very supportive in helping me get started."

Triggered by a genetic defect, cystic fibrosis causes the body to produce an abnormally thick mucus that coats the lungs and that can turn even the most basic cold into a life-threatening lung infection. The disease also can prevent crucial enzymes from reaching the digestive tract, leaving afflicted children small for their age and unable to thrive.

Cystic fibrosis affects 30,000 children and adults in the United States. Another 10 million Americans unknowingly carry the gene for cystic fibrosis without ever showing symptoms themselves.

Customers participating in the program can choose from Early Bird Publishing's two different lines of humorous, original greeting cards. Categories range from birthday and anniversary wishes to cards with messages such as "Get well" and "Congratulations," to announcements about new babies and moving plans.

"We publish cards designed to meet the needs of people seeking a more sophisticated but good-natured line of humorous cards," said Hartnett. "In other words, we're funny for everybody."

Hartnett plans to extend the Cards for Charity program to include other charities as well. He can be reached at (908) 497-1612.