Until The Cincinnati Bell Run Like Hell XVIII
2009 Sponsors
All proceeds benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation—a donor-supported, nonprofit organization determined to assure the development of the means to cure and control; cystic fibrosis (CF),
CF a scary, life-threatening genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive systems of over 30,000 people in the U.S. But what’s more scary is that more than 14 million Americans are symptomless carriers of the defective CF gene.
Jackson's Story
My name is Jackson Wimmers. And I’m 2 1/2. My daddy’s name is John and my mommy is Hollie. I have a big sister, Lindsay, a big brother, Benjamin and two dogs Rudy and Cole. I also have CF. So far CF has not stopped me from doing anything, but I have days that I just want to lay on the couch and sleep. Mostly I just like to be a little boy. I love to be outside. I love to run, ride my tricycle, ride in my wagon and I even know how to throw and catch a ball!
My Mommy and Granny take care of my CF needs right now. They make me take these things called enzymes to help me get all the nutrition from the food I eat. They also make me do these things called breathing treatments to help my lungs. Of course my greatest hope is that all affected with CF will be cured. And we can all grow up to be big and strong!
The Foundation
The CF Foundation, named as one of the most efficient charities in the United States by Forbes magazine, is a donor-supported, nonprofit organization and is committed to improving the lives of those with the disease, finding new therapies and ultimately a cure.
When the CF Foundation was established in 1955, few children with cystic fibrosis lived to attend elementary school. Today, because of Foundation-supported research and care, people with CF are living to a median survival age of 37 years old, and of all of those diagnosed with CF 43% are age 18 or older. But there is still much work to be done as we continue to lose precious lives to this devastating disease.
The Foundation is making history. For the first time in the history of the disease, there are therapies in the Foundation's drug development pipeline that address the basic defect in CF (a faulty protein). If successful, these therapies could add decades of life for people with the disease. Early results in the clinical trial for VX-770, an oral drug aimed at addressing the basic defect in CF show that the compound significantly improves several key indicators of the disease--the most promising results the Foundation has seen from a Phase 2 trial.
