My Great Strides Story
Mary Beth Rock
Fundraising for Triangle Great Strides 2026
Mary Beth Rock
Dear Friends and Family,
On Saturday, May 16, the Great Strides Walk will take place in Cary, NC — a day that is always incredibly meaningful to Mike and me as we come together to support our daughter, Angelica, and everyone living with cystic fibrosis (CF).
Although we won’t be able to walk this year because we’ll be out of town attending our niece’s graduation, our commitment to raising awareness and funds for cystic fibrosis research remains as strong as ever. The mission hasn’t changed — and neither has our determination to help find a cure.
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a cruel, genetic disease that affects the lungs, pancreas, and other vital organs. It makes breathing difficult, invites life-threatening infections, and requires a lifetime of daily treatments. While tremendous progress has been made, there is still no cure.
Angelica continues to inspire us every day with her resilience and determination. She is now well into her Ph.D. program in Biology at UC San Diego, with about three and a half years to go. Watching her pursue her passion — and work toward making a difference in cancer immunology research — fills us with pride. Despite the daily demands of managing CF, including treatments and therapies, she continues to live life fully and chase her dreams.
When Angelica was born, we were told the median life expectancy for someone with CF was just 30 years. Today, thanks to research funded by generous supporters like you, that number has more than doubled for those born in recent years. That progress brings hope — but our goal remains a cure.
Every donation, no matter the size, helps fund critical research, new therapies, and life-extending treatments. Your continued support means the world to our family and to so many others impacted by CF.
Even though we won’t be walking in person this year, we are walking in spirit — and we would be grateful if you would consider supporting our fundraising efforts once again.
Together, we can help make CF stand for Cure Found.
Love,
Mary Beth
On Saturday, May 16, the Great Strides Walk will take place in Cary, NC — a day that is always incredibly meaningful to Mike and me as we come together to support our daughter, Angelica, and everyone living with cystic fibrosis (CF).
Although we won’t be able to walk this year because we’ll be out of town attending our niece’s graduation, our commitment to raising awareness and funds for cystic fibrosis research remains as strong as ever. The mission hasn’t changed — and neither has our determination to help find a cure.
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a cruel, genetic disease that affects the lungs, pancreas, and other vital organs. It makes breathing difficult, invites life-threatening infections, and requires a lifetime of daily treatments. While tremendous progress has been made, there is still no cure.
Angelica continues to inspire us every day with her resilience and determination. She is now well into her Ph.D. program in Biology at UC San Diego, with about three and a half years to go. Watching her pursue her passion — and work toward making a difference in cancer immunology research — fills us with pride. Despite the daily demands of managing CF, including treatments and therapies, she continues to live life fully and chase her dreams.
When Angelica was born, we were told the median life expectancy for someone with CF was just 30 years. Today, thanks to research funded by generous supporters like you, that number has more than doubled for those born in recent years. That progress brings hope — but our goal remains a cure.
Every donation, no matter the size, helps fund critical research, new therapies, and life-extending treatments. Your continued support means the world to our family and to so many others impacted by CF.
Even though we won’t be walking in person this year, we are walking in spirit — and we would be grateful if you would consider supporting our fundraising efforts once again.
Together, we can help make CF stand for Cure Found.
Love,
Mary Beth
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