Join in the Fight Against Cystic Fibrosis
THUNDER BAY – LIVING – Carstar’s Great Strides Walk for Cystic Fibrosis is Cystic Fibrosis Canada’s largest national fundraiser. It is held each year during the month of May, which is Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month. This year’s walk will be held nationally in 65 locations on May 31st. The Thunder Bay Walk will be held at Marina Park at the Fesitival Grounds and the walking trail. The walk happens rain or shine. Online registration is available now at www.cysticfibrosis.ca/greatstrides. Registration the day of the event will start at 11 a.m. at the Festival Grounds. The opening ceremonies and walk will start at noon.
There are many ways to get involved in the walk. People can participate as a walker, as a member of a team, sponsoring someone who is walking or volunteering at the walk. We encourage walkers or teams to issue challenges to others to see who can raise the most and earn “bragging rights” with their friends.
We will have a BBQ on site with hot dogs and pop which can be purchased for a donation to Cystic Fibrosis so even if you can’t participate in the walk we’d love to see everyone come out and have a hot dog and a pop and help us raise some much needed research dollars. We will also have some of the LU Thunderwolves hockey team attending and are also working on some other local celebrity guests that we’ll be able to announce shortly.
The walk is open to anyone. We encourage everyone to come out. Bring your mom, dad, brother, sister, friends coworkers and even the family dog (on a leash) and join us on May 31st for a walk around beautiful Marina Park and help us raise some much needed dollars and breathe life into the future for Canadians Living with Cystic Fibrosis.
What is Cystic Fibrosis?
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common fatal genetic disease affecting Canadian children and young adults. There is no cure.
Cystic fibrosis causes various effects on the body, but mainly affects the digestive system and lungs. It is estimated that one in every 3,600 children born in Canada has cystic fibrosis.
Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease that occurs when a child inherits two abnormal genes, one from each parent. Approximately, one in 25 Canadians carry an abnormal version of the gene responsible for cystic fibrosis. Carriers do not have cystic fibrosis, nor do they exhibit any of the symptoms of the disease. Parents who are carriers of the gene have a 1 in 4 chance of having a child with cystic fibrosis.
Over the past 55 years Cystic Fibrosis Canada has invested more than $150 million in leading research, innovation and care. As a result, Canadians with Cystic Fibrosis have one of the highest median survival rates anywhere in the world. But we’re not there yet. We have not found a cure or control so CF sufferers still struggle to breathe every day.
In 1960, most children diagnosed with cystic fibrosis did not live long enough to attend kindergarten. Today, 60 percent of all Canadians with cystic fibrosis are adults.