AbbVie Cystic Fibrosis Scholarship Program Awards 40 Student Scholars With Annual Academic Awards

NORTH CHICAGO, Ill., Aug. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --  AbbVie today announced the 40 outstanding students with cystic fibrosis (CF) who will each receive $2,500 to pursue their undergraduate or graduate school education during the 2014-2015 school year through the AbbVie CF Scholarship program. Voting for two of the 40 winners to earn the title of 2014 Thriving Undergraduate or Graduate Scholar is now open to the public at www.AbbVieCFScholarship.com until September 15. 

Inspirational stories from students living with CF are spotlighted on the AbbVie CF Scholarship website, www.AbbVieCFScholarship.com. The site also includes instructions on how the public can vote for undergraduate and graduate scholars, by voting either online or texting 23000 with the unique ID provided assigned to the specific scholar (e.g., VOTE1, VOTE2, etc.).

"The achievement and dedication shown by the AbbVie CF Scholarship recipients continue to impress us each year," said Jim Hynd, vice president, GI Care, AbbVie. "Students with CF face significantly more mental, physical and emotional challenges than those who do not suffer the symptoms of this disease, and AbbVie is honored to support their academic endeavors as they become role models for the CF community."

AbbVie is proud to continue the legacy of the CF Scholarship program. Over the course of the 22 years of the scholarship's existence, hundreds of students living with CF have received an estimated $2.4 million in educational funding. 

About Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive systems of approximately 30,000 children and adults in the United States. In patients with CF, a thick, sticky mucus is produced in certain organs throughout the body, most commonly the lungs and digestive system. The mucus build-up in the lungs can cause difficulty breathing and may lead to life-threatening lung infections. In the digestive system, the thick mucus may prevent proper food digestion. More than 75 percent of people with CF are diagnosed by age two.

About the AbbVie CF Scholarship
The AbbVie CF Scholarship was established 22 years ago in recognition of the financial burdens many families touched by cystic fibrosis (CF) face and to acknowledge the achievements of students with CF. The program has since awarded more than $2.4 million in scholarships. It is not necessary for scholarship applicants to have taken, currently take, or intend to take in the future, any medicine or product marketed by AbbVie, and this is not a consideration in the selection criteria. More information about the AbbVie CF Scholarship criteria and application can be found at www.AbbVieCFScholarship.com.

About AbbVie
AbbVie is a global, research-based biopharmaceutical company formed in 2013 following separation from Abbott Laboratories. The company's mission is to use its expertise, dedicated people and unique approach to innovation to develop and market advanced therapies that address some of the world's most complex and serious diseases. AbbVie employs approximately 25,000 people worldwide and markets medicines in more than 170 countries. For further information on the company and its people, portfolio and commitments, please visit www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on Twitter or view careers on our Facebook or LinkedIn page.

SOURCE AbbVie