Hundreds Gather in Newport Beach to Support Cystic Fibrosis

Newport’s Back Bay was scattered with more than 250 cystic fibrosis supporters Sunday who took to the water to help raise money to find a cure for the disease.

The Pipeline to a Cure and Newport Aquatic Center's Back Bay Stand Up for CF began with a leisurely three-mile stand-up paddle around the back bay, in which friends and families were guided by professional surfers and paddle-boarders, including big-wave riders Dave Kalama and Mickey Munoz. Participants then had the option to continue and compete in a three-mile race.

About 1,000 new cases of cystic fibrosis, an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the United States, are diagnosed each year. Event organizers say doctors have recently discovered that the salt air patients breathe in while surfing helps to eliminate the amount of bacteria in the lungs of patients, which is why many have taken to water sports.

In addition, such events give children an opportunity to be around others who suffer from the same disease. While children CF patients can’t be around other CF patients indoors due to risks of spreading bacteria, outdoor activities give them a chance to connect with each other.

“Just the surfing activity itself really puts a smile on their faces, something outside of their normal regiment where they get to feel like they’re living, rather than just maintaining,” said co-chair Kalama. “Because of the medications they have to take every day and the treatments that are so time-intensive, the better part of their day is spent maintaining as opposed to doing activities.”

It is hoped that Sunday’s inaugural event will be considered the pilot program for many more such events and will be taken on the road to the East Coast and the Great Lakes area.