2008 Woodie Awards
Students take 'Great Strides' in fight against Cystic Fibrosis
Student with personal experience in disease leads effort
Issue date: 4/12/06 Section: News
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Staff Writer
Two academic clubs at North Greenville University hosted a Cystic Fibrosis walkathon on Thursday and Friday, April 6 - 7. The Science and Adventure clubs jointly ventured into organizing and advertising the walkathon.
The official name of the walkathon is Great Strides: Taking Steps to Cure Cystic Fibrosis. Each individual had three ways to participate in the walkathon: walk and raise money, not walk and raise money or give a donation.
Great Strides provides a brochure for fundraisers to collect donations along with a few fundraising tips and a synopsis on Cystic Fibrosis. Much like the Relay for Life fundraiser, the walking participants petition individuals to sponsor them for taking the time to walk six miles and raise support for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Great Strides adds an incentive for fundraisers to gather support by awarding prizes according to how much money is raised. Inside the brochure, Great Strides listed what prize is received for how much money raised. Walkers showed up from 1 - 3 p.m. on Thursday and Friday to help gather donations for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Kevin Agar, senior biology, led the effort to organize the event. "Dr. Erturk asked someone to help with the setup," said Agar. His personal experience with the disease made his involvement unique. "I was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at 7 months," said Agar.
After his diagnosis, the doctors sent Agar for treatment. "A couple of months later [after the doctor's diagnosis] at my grandmother's church, her church laid hands on her in representation of me and prayed," said Agar. "The next day after they prayed for me, I was given a sweat-chloride test, a normal test given for Cystic Fibrosis, which came back normal." Ironically, the doctors perceived the sweat-chloride test machine to be broken and sent him to another hospital. "At the next hospital, the doctor came in and pronounced me cured," said Agar.
People with Cystic Fibrosis now live into their mid 30s whereas in 1955 children diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis did not live to be a student in an elementary school, according to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (www.cff.org). With the support gained by events like Great Strides for Cystic Fibrosis, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is able to further advance its treatment of this terminal disease.
"It's important for biology majors to be involved with stuff like this [the fundraiser] because we are the health care professionals of the future," said Daniel Cannone, senior biology, as one reason behind his participation in the walkathon.
As of Monday morning, the walkathon raised $933.25 to go to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.