About Cystic Fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a progressive, genetic disease that affects the lungs, pancreas, and other vital organs. It causes thick, sticky mucus to build up in the body, leading to chronic lung infections and making it difficult to breathe and digest food properly.

While medical advances have improved life expectancy and quality of life, there is still no cure. CF requires daily, lifelong treatment-often multiple hours a day-and constant medical management. Every step forward in research brings hope, but there is still critical work to be done.

Why I Walk - My "Why"

My reason for participating in Great Strides is deeply personal.

Our daughter, Madeline, bravely battled cystic fibrosis for her entire life. In 2018, at the age of 16, we lost her-but her strength, her spirit, and the way she faced every challenge continues to shape who we are and why we show up. She was a light to all who knew her, with a quick and sharp wit and a soul full of love.

Our daughter Savannah is also living with cystic fibrosis. Today, she is a college student, pursuing her dreams while managing the daily realities of this disease. Watching her navigate life with resilience and determination is nothing short of inspiring-but it also reminds us that CF is still very much a part of our everyday lives.

We walk for Madeline's memory.
We walk for Savannah's future.
We walk for every family facing cystic fibrosis-and for the hope that one day, no one will have to.