My Great Strides Story
Alissa Katz
Fundraising for New York 5 Borough Great Strides 2026
Alissa Katz
The site's instructions are to share my story. But it's not just my story — I wouldn't be as strong as I am without the support of family. So, this is our collective spiel.
We're going on year 26 of my independent fundraising for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's fundraising event, Great Strides, to cure cystic fibrosis (CF).
CF is a genetic disease that causes the body to produce abnormally thick, sticky mucus, which leads to chronic and potentially life-threatening lung infection. Walking a 5k became easy for me since my double-lung transplant in 2019, and I still don't walk or climb a set of stairs without acknowledging how grateful I am.
CF doesn't affect my pulmonary system anymore, but I've become further plagued by the effects CF has on other organs. The effects on other organs, i.e., kidneys, liver, have not been studied as thoroughly as have the lungs, so I continue to need your support in order to fund this long-awaited research and eventually find a cure.
We're going on year 26 of my independent fundraising for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's fundraising event, Great Strides, to cure cystic fibrosis (CF).
CF is a genetic disease that causes the body to produce abnormally thick, sticky mucus, which leads to chronic and potentially life-threatening lung infection. Walking a 5k became easy for me since my double-lung transplant in 2019, and I still don't walk or climb a set of stairs without acknowledging how grateful I am.
CF doesn't affect my pulmonary system anymore, but I've become further plagued by the effects CF has on other organs. The effects on other organs, i.e., kidneys, liver, have not been studied as thoroughly as have the lungs, so I continue to need your support in order to fund this long-awaited research and eventually find a cure.
To those new to my cause and those who've been with me since day one, I hope you can continue to support my efforts. My family and I offer our heartfelt thanks.
Alissa
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