Great Strides Walks for Cystic Fibrosis

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- Cystic Fibrosis affects 30,000 adults and children in the U.S. The life-threatening disease attacks the lung and digestive system. One in 29 people are symptomless carriers of the defective gene that causes CF.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation says the current life expectancy for a person with CF is 37 years. That is a big a change from the 1950's when most children with Cystic Fibrosis didn't live to attend elementary school.

Claudia Werner, the Executive Director of the North Florida Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, says cutting edge research is really changing the lives and futures of people with CF.

The discovery of new drugs is making it easier to breathe and live with CF. There are more drugs right now in the research pipeline than in the 50-year cumulative history of the foundation, according to the president of CFF, Robert Beall.

One of the foundations biggest fundraisers to enable the research is the Great Strides Walks.

There are four on the First Coast. The Orange Park walk is on Saturday, April 26th. The walk at Hanna Park is Saturday, May 3rd. On Saturday, May 17th there will be a walk in St. Augustine. All three of these walks start at 9 a.m. and are a 6 mile walking route.

There is about a 3 mile walk in downtown along the Riverwalk that starts at the Crowne Plaza. This walk is Thursday, May 15th and it begins at 6 p.m.

As the Honorary Chairperson for the First Coast Great Strides, I (Julia Crowley) will be leading a team at each of the four walks. Anyone can sign up to join my team or start their own teams.

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