Across the Country, Great Strides are Underway to Find a Cure for Cystic Fibrosis

BETHESDA, Md., May 15, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This weekend tens of thousands of walkers will hit the pavement and raise funds to fight cystic fibrosis. Great Strides is the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's largest national fundraiser and includes a total of 500 walks throughout the year — with 200 this Saturday and Sunday.

Cystic fibrosis is a fatal genetic disease that causes debilitating lung infections and premature death.

"Every walker brings hope and a commitment to continued progress," said Robert J. Beall, Ph.D., president and CEO of the CF Foundation. "The CF Foundation is fighting on all fronts to find a cure and help people with CF live longer and better lives. Every dollar raised in Great Strides brings us closer to this goal."

The national premier sponsors of Great Strides 2014 are AbbVie and Walgreens. National corporate sponsors include American Airlines, Genentech, Gilead Sciences, Inc., Novartis and Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

The goal of Great Strides is to raise $43 million. These funds enable the CF Foundation to respond to the needs of pediatric and adult patients with cystic fibrosis, investing in a robust drug development pipeline, care programs and enhanced advocacy and support for people with CF and their families.

An estimated 30,000 adults and children in the United States, and 70,000 people worldwide, have CF. More than 10 million Americans are symptomless carriers of a defective CF gene.

The CF Foundation is an accredited charity of the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance and is one of the most efficient and effective organizations of its kind.

To help fight CF, participate in your local Great Strides walk by calling 1-800-FIGHT-CF or by visiting http://greatstrides.cff.org.

About the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is the world's leader in the search for a cure for cystic fibrosis. The Foundation funds more cystic fibrosis research than any other organization, and nearly every CF drug available today was made possible because of Foundation support. Based in Bethesda, Md., the Foundation also supports and accredits a national care center network that has been recognized by the National Institutes of Health as a model of care for a chronic disease. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is a donor-supported nonprofit organization. For more information, go to www.cff.org.

SOURCE Cystic Fibrosis Foundation