Tens of Thousands to Walk for a Cure for Cystic Fibrosis

BETHESDA, Md., May 17, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Walks in nearly every state this weekend will raise funds to fight cystic fibrosis as part of Great Strides, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's largest national fundraising event.

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

"Every walker who joins Great Strides makes a difference," said Robert J. Beall, Ph.D., president and CEO of the CF Foundation. "Real progress toward a cure has been made, but too many young lives are still cut short by this terrible disease. We are committed to fighting CF from every angle to give all people with CF the future they deserve."

Together, AbbVie and Walgreens serve as the premier sponsors of Great Strides 2013. Other national sponsors include American Airlines, Genentech, Gilead Sciences, Inc., Novartis and Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc.

The goal of Great Strides is to raise nearly $42 million nationwide for CF research, education and care. Funds raised through Great Strides have helped spur dramatic progress in the treatment of cystic fibrosis. The life expectancy of a child with CF has doubled in the last 30 years. 

An estimated 30,000 adults and children in the United States have CF (70,000 worldwide). 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 organizations of its kind. 

To help fight CF, get involved in Great Strides 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 CF 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. For more information, go to www.cff.org.

SOURCE Cystic Fibrosis Foundation