RUMFORD, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- There are plenty of reasons to try to get healthier and lose some weight. For Tommy Tompkins in Rumford it took a challenge from a friend to get him to hit the gym. Cardio that's not just helping him, but also helping raise money for a young woman with Cystic Fibrosis.
17-year-old Ashleigh Merchant has become accustomed to her daily routine living with Cystic Fibrosis. She does breathing treatments three times a day with a nebulizer that mists albuterol into her lungs as well as chest physical therapy to loosen the mucus that builds up in her lungs.
"As soon as I get up I just start coughing, so I have to do my treatments and my vest, sometimes mom with do chest pt, but it depends on what is going on.," said Merchant.
In the last year her disease has progressed to the point where she's attending school two hours a day and paying visits to hospitals at least once a month. To help raise money for Ashleigh and her family Roger White challenged his friend, Tommy Tompkins, to lose weight. At 370 lbs, White agreed to pay $5 for every pound that Tompkins lost. The challenge quickly spread and others jumped on board to donate to the cause, bringing the total to $626.15 to help pay for Ashleigh's medical bills for every pound lost.
"I think a lot of people are doing it for my health and also for this little girl who needs help," said Tompkins. "We got a great community here and it just keeps going."
Tompkins will do his final weigh in to see how much money he's raised on May 1 at a Benefit Dinner and Dance at the Rumford Eagles Club starting at 5:30 pm. If you'd like to donate to the cause search Air For Ash on Facebook.
