The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation will hold its annual Great Strides fundraising walk on Sunday, April 26, at the McCallie School. Registration begins at 1 p.m. and the walk will begin at 2 p.m.
Great Strides is an annual event that raises money to fund critical cystic fibrosis research. In 2014, nearly 400 walkers and corporate and community sponsors in Chattanooga raised $85,000, joining walks across the country to raise $48 million to fight CF. The local goal this year is $100,000, so the CF Foundation is seeking walkers to form teams and raise money to help the tens of thousands of Americans living with the disease.
This year’s event will feature entertainment by the Slim Pickens Band and the Kristie Dalton Band and refreshments will be available for participants. There will also be several family friendly activities for children to enjoy.
To help raise money for CF research, walkers can register for Chattanooga’s Great Strides online at www.cff.org/great_strides. Online registrants can use interactive tools to invite walkers to join their teams, request online donations and check their fundraising status. Walkers are encouraged to attend the event even if they cannot register online in order to donate, show support for the cause, and buy tickets for raffle prizes.
CF is a genetic disease that afflicts the respiratory and digestive systems. A defective gene causes the body to produce abnormally thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs and pancreas, leading to life-threatening lung infections and an inability to break down and absorb food into the body. Currently, there is no cure.
The mission of the CF Foundation is to develop the means to cure and control cystic fibrosis and to improve the quality of life for those with the disease. It funds medical research and care programs which are improving the length and quality of life for people with cystic fibrosis.