2012 Newport Great Strides Walk to Cure Cystic Fibrosis

This is the fourth year of the Great Strides walk in the Newport area in support of Cystic Fibrosis (CF), an inherited disease that affects the lungs and vital organs of those afflicted with the illness for which there is no cure. About 30,000 children and adults in the United States have CF.

The public is welcome to participate in the five-mile Newport walk around scenic Ocean Drive along with pre- and post-event activities, including music, raffles and an appearance from the PawSox mascot.  Registration begins at 9:00 a.m.; the walk will start at 10:00 a.m. To register for the walk online, go to:  http://www.cff.org/great_strides/.

In the 1950s, few children with cystic fibrosis lived to attend elementary school. Today, the median age of survival is over 37, thanks to advances in research and medical treatments.  To develop a cure, scientists must find a way to fix the defective gene that causes the disease.

GREAT STRIDES is the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's largest national fund-raising event. Tens of thousands of people around the country come together each year at some 570 sites around the country as one community for one cause…to help find a cure for CF.  In 2011, nearly $38 million was raised for research and to support vital CF programs and support services to CF patients and their families.