In the Spotlight

The Malamala Family Fights CF

Former New York Jets offensive lineman Siupeli Malamala and his family settled into their new home at Mirasol in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida three years ago. “Siup” and Suzanne have two daughters—Dylan, who is 10, and Ainsley, 6, and a son Chase, who is 1 ½. Dylan was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when she was 2 years old.

The family did more than face their own daily battle with the disease; they started a foundation to benefit all young children with CF. Since leaving New York, the Malamalas have joined forces with the CF Foundation in Palm Beach through their involvement in a golf tournament, Great Strides and other area events.

For a school assignment entitled “What I Want to be When I Grow Up,” Dylan recently wrote:

“…I have decided that I want to be an English teacher. I feel that by doing this, I will be helping children learn and that is very important. Without teachers, we wouldn’t have doctors, lawyers, accountants or CEOs…. In addition to teaching, I also want volunteering to be a very big part of my life. I already do a lot of volunteer work for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. I have cystic fibrosis, so I know how important it is for people to give of themselves in order to help others. I see how much my mother and father give of their time and what a difference it has made. I dream of there one day being a cure for CF, not only for myself, but for the 30,000 other kids and young adults affected with this horrible disease. However, in order for this to happen it takes people—just regular people like myself—to help in any way they can. When you help to raise a lot of money, the research scientists from all over the world are able to get one step closer to finding a cure. It would be incredible to know that I was part of something as important as that.”

Suzanne Malamala currently serves on the Sixty-Five Roses Committee of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of the Florida Chapter Palm Beach office.