Cystic Fibrosis Foundation walk was a soggy success

By MARGIE TRAX PAGE - Staff Writer - mtrax@starbeacon.com
Star Beacon

May 04, 2008 12:46 am

— ASHTABULA TOWNSHIP — Rain dripped off Nicole Abruzzise’s nose Saturday morning, the drops falling into a puddle at her feet.
Walk coordinator for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Abruzzise watched in wonder as 250 people marched to raise money for a cure at Lake Shore Park, as groups, families and individuals walked, jogged and ran in the steady rain.
“Ashtabula County is such a wonderful, supportive community. Every year this area raises more and more money for the foundation,” she said.
Event organizer Kim Whitcroft-Parker, whose 11-year-old daughter Michaela lives with cystic fibrosis, said the walk run replaces the Breathe Bike Tour.
“The bike tour raised $50,000 in two years,” she said. “That is monumental for a county that is suffering from the bad economy.”
Though the rain kept some people at home, Whitcroft-Parker said she couldn’t be happier with the hardy, rain-ready participants.
“I knew the rain would keep some people inside, but the support we see each year builds and the people who care builds and that builds our hope for a cure,” she said.
Abruzzise said the hope and the funding comes at a critical time for the foundation, which is supporting the development of three pharmaceutical treatments.
“Three drugs on the pipeline is huge for us,” Abruzzise said. “Just to get the drugs at this level of development is an accomplishment. Of course, we won’t stop until there is a cure.”
As the May rain showers seeped through the clothing and shoes of everyone at Lake Shore Park, Abruzzise noted that this was just one of 600 walks this month across the country.
“This May we will raise $40 million toward the cure,” Abruzzise said, “and Ashtabula County helped tremendously.”

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