My Great Strides Story
Cheryl Mordaunt Murawski
Fundraising for Buffalo Great Strides 2026
Cheryl Mordaunt Murawski
It's that time!
I hope this finds everyone well!
Cheryl Mordaunt Murawski (& Scott) here. Hello to those of you who already know our story and our unyielding passion and have supported our efforts in the past, AND for those of you who are newbies. Here we are again, approaching May, Cystic Fibrosis Awareness month.
CF is a genetic, life-shortening disease that devastates the lungs, pancreas, and other vital organs. CF makes it difficult to breathe and fight life-threatening infections, often leading to extensive lung damage and respiratory failure.
Each May, we participate in the Great Strides Walk for CF. As many of you know, we walk for our daughter, stepdaughter, sister, coworker, CF warrior and the many other hats that Julia Mordaunt wears. Because of science and research, Julia is now an adult living with CF, despite her initial projected life span of 18. The advances that have happened during her lifetime are none other than miraculous – especially to those of us who love her so much.
It brings us so much pleasure each year to update you with more good news. First of all, Team Fer Jules is celebrating a milestone. At the CFF Buffalo Annual Awards Celebration in February, our team received an award for the 2025 Top Team – AND the top team for the last five years. It's all been simple grassroots campaigning, no corporate sponsorships, just all of you!! Fer Jules has raised $175,000 to date. Amazing, right? So now we reach a bit higher because that's how we roll! We would love to cross the $200,000 mark this year and we think we can!
There is no cure for CF but every dollar brings us closer to making CF a manageable disease vs. a fatal one. If you have donated over the years, you have heard how Julia has gone from nebulizers, frequent hospitalizations, and lots of equipment, to using only a break though pill called Trikafta. CF patients have different gene mutations and Julia waited quite some time before there was a drug that met her particular mutation. It was only a few of years ago, but that drug was a serious life changer. No more cumbersome equipment, no more hospitalizations. WOW! In September, she had just qualified for a newer drug, Alyftrek, a new modulator drug that corrects the malfunctioning protein made by the CF gene. Although she has to have liver testing every three months, this drug is even more promising.
Thanks to your donations, life expectancy for CF patients is getting longer. That being said, its important to understand that older patients born in the 80's and 90's, like Julia, did not benefit from the get go with all those newer drugs. It is still not curable and it still claims the lives of many, too young.
Sooo, the goal is monetary only in the sense that it provides for more research and study. With all the cuts as of late, this is more important than ever before. And I'm sure we can all agree – as friends, family and colleagues of a CF-er who we love, we have to keep pushing on. The cure is the final goal.
I hope we can count on your support again this year, those of you who have made CF your cause as well and for those who are donating for the first time. Remember ANY donation helps and we mean that sincerely. A HUGE thank you ahead of time for all you guys have done, and continue to do,in this fight. Let's do this together. Team Jules for the win!!
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts,
Cheryl and Scott Murawski
I hope this finds everyone well!
Cheryl Mordaunt Murawski (& Scott) here. Hello to those of you who already know our story and our unyielding passion and have supported our efforts in the past, AND for those of you who are newbies. Here we are again, approaching May, Cystic Fibrosis Awareness month.
CF is a genetic, life-shortening disease that devastates the lungs, pancreas, and other vital organs. CF makes it difficult to breathe and fight life-threatening infections, often leading to extensive lung damage and respiratory failure.
Each May, we participate in the Great Strides Walk for CF. As many of you know, we walk for our daughter, stepdaughter, sister, coworker, CF warrior and the many other hats that Julia Mordaunt wears. Because of science and research, Julia is now an adult living with CF, despite her initial projected life span of 18. The advances that have happened during her lifetime are none other than miraculous – especially to those of us who love her so much.
It brings us so much pleasure each year to update you with more good news. First of all, Team Fer Jules is celebrating a milestone. At the CFF Buffalo Annual Awards Celebration in February, our team received an award for the 2025 Top Team – AND the top team for the last five years. It's all been simple grassroots campaigning, no corporate sponsorships, just all of you!! Fer Jules has raised $175,000 to date. Amazing, right? So now we reach a bit higher because that's how we roll! We would love to cross the $200,000 mark this year and we think we can!
There is no cure for CF but every dollar brings us closer to making CF a manageable disease vs. a fatal one. If you have donated over the years, you have heard how Julia has gone from nebulizers, frequent hospitalizations, and lots of equipment, to using only a break though pill called Trikafta. CF patients have different gene mutations and Julia waited quite some time before there was a drug that met her particular mutation. It was only a few of years ago, but that drug was a serious life changer. No more cumbersome equipment, no more hospitalizations. WOW! In September, she had just qualified for a newer drug, Alyftrek, a new modulator drug that corrects the malfunctioning protein made by the CF gene. Although she has to have liver testing every three months, this drug is even more promising.
Thanks to your donations, life expectancy for CF patients is getting longer. That being said, its important to understand that older patients born in the 80's and 90's, like Julia, did not benefit from the get go with all those newer drugs. It is still not curable and it still claims the lives of many, too young.
Sooo, the goal is monetary only in the sense that it provides for more research and study. With all the cuts as of late, this is more important than ever before. And I'm sure we can all agree – as friends, family and colleagues of a CF-er who we love, we have to keep pushing on. The cure is the final goal.
I hope we can count on your support again this year, those of you who have made CF your cause as well and for those who are donating for the first time. Remember ANY donation helps and we mean that sincerely. A HUGE thank you ahead of time for all you guys have done, and continue to do,in this fight. Let's do this together. Team Jules for the win!!
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts,
Cheryl and Scott Murawski
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