I am honored to be included in this year’s Metro DC Finest Class and working with a great group of young professionals to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. All donations help the Foundation realize its mission of curing cystic fibrosis (CF) and providing all people with CF the opportunity to lead long, fulfilling lives.

Nearly 40,000 people in the United States have cystic fibrosis: a progressive, genetic disease that affects the lungs, pancreas, and other organs. Sixty years ago, children with CF usually did not live long enough to attend elementary school. Today, because of Foundation-supported research and care, the median survival age of people with CF is over 50. Working alongside the CF community, the CF Foundation has fostered the development of more than a dozen CF treatments and helped add decades of life for people with CF.

As the partner of someone living with CF, I’ve seen the miraculous effects of these new treatments firsthand, and they’ve already given so many families renewed hope for the future. Yet there is still work to be done as many people with CF do not benefit from existing and emerging therapies. The Foundation’s vision is a cure for every person with cystic fibrosis – a life free from the burden of this disease – and we will not leave anyone behind.

I hope you will support me in reaching my goal and helping the CF Foundation achieve its mission.

To learn more about CF and the CF Foundation, visit www.cff.org. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of those with cystic fibrosis. Thank you for supporting the mission of the CF Foundation!