Dear friends,

This is a big year.

My younger sister, Stacy, was born with cystic fibrosis in 1986 - three years before the gene for CF was even discovered. When she was born, Stacy's doctors said she would not live to be an adult. 

But they were wrong.
This year, Stacy turns 40!

The doctor's were not wrong because they misunderstood the disease. At that time, CF was indeed a pediatric illness. What they couldn't predict was the power of community. When family and friends come together to save children's lives, they drive miracles. 

And that's exactly what happened. 
 

Because of decades of research, advocacy, and philanthropy, cystic fibrosis is no longer the disease it once was. Children born with CF today have a very different outlook than even a generation ago. Treatments have improved and life expectancy has increased. And for many, CF has become a manageable condition.

But that’s not the full story.
 

Not everyone with CF has benefited equally from these advancements. There are still many, like my sister, who are waiting for effective treatments. And until every person with CF has access to therapies that address the root cause of their disease, our work is not done.
 

Seventeen years ago, while living in Spain, I met my best friend Magda. Magda was born in Poland and diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at age nine. When her doctors told her family there was nothing more they could do, they made the brave decision to move to Spain in search of better care.

The day I found out Magda had CF was the day we became inseparable.
 

I stood beside Magda when she received a double lung transplant 17 years ago, and I stood beside her again when she died of complications related to CF, one week before her 40th birthday.
 

Magda and Stacy shared the same disease, but their journeys were different - a reminder of how complex and unpredictable CF can be and why research is critical.

This is why I walk for Great Strides.
 

Every dollar raised helps fund critical research, advance new therapies, and move us closer to a future where every person with CF has a chance to live a long and healthy life.

Thank you for being part of our progress, and helping move us closer to the day when CF stands for Cure Found.
 

Much love,
Lisa