5K Walk Helps Make Great Strides Toward Fighting Cystic Fibrosis

The Southern California Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation will host Santa Barbara Great Strides to raise funds and awareness for cystic fibrosis, 9 a.m.-noon, Saturday, Nov. 11 at Chase Palm Park.

Cystic fibrosis is a progressive, genetic, multi-organ disease that affects 40,000 children and adults living in the United States.

“When the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation was first founded, children with CF typically did not live long enough to attend elementary school,” said James Goodson, area director of the Southern California Chapter.

“Today, we celebrate the achievements in CF that fundraising events like this have led us to make great strides in the disease,” he said.

“We are making incredible progress due to the Southern California community. We invite people in the Santa Barbara community to join us in our mission and acknowledgment of the importance of the community to drive us toward a cure,” Goodson said.

Check-in begins at 9 a.m. for the Great Strides event that includes a 5K walk, music, a short speaker presentation, and a silent auction. The walk will begin around 10 a.m.

To attend Santa Barbara Great Strides, register online or call Southern California Chapter at 323-939-0758.

In 2022, the CFF Foundation funded $265 million in research and care for people with the disease. Money raised at Santa Barbara Great Strides and hundreds of events nationwide support the CF Foundation’s mission to cure cystic fibrosis, and to fund research and drug development, partnering with the CF community, and advancing care.

Since the inception of Santa Barbara Great Strides, the foundation’s Southern California Chapter has worked with Dr. Richard Belkin, the medical director of Santa Barbara Cottage Health’s CF program.

Dr. Belkin, the event chair for Santa Barbara Great Strides, and the Cottage Health team have played key roles in raising awareness and supporting the CF community over the years.

For a full list of Southern California Chapter events, visit cff.org/chapters/southern-california-chapter-0.

The CF Foundation is an accredited charity of the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance. For more about the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, visit cff.org.