Katie Reardon

My Great Strides Story

It’s that time again – hello 2023 Great Strides!

2023 marks 3 years of working with the Greater Illinois Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and adding tomorrows for those with CF. I am so thankful for this opportunity I have had working with the Foundation – not only do I have incredible support within the Foundation and from my colleagues at the Chicago Office, but I have been able to see, firsthand, the difference that every dollar you have all helped me raise has made. This job has been the blessing of a lifetime.

2023 marks 8 years since Sabrina Kelley courageously fought, but ultimately lost her battle with cystic fibrosis. Those who were lucky enough to know and love Sabrina know the importance of continuing this fight against CF, because, in the truest Sabrina fashion, it was never about her but about the greater good.

I am driven by the memory of Sabrina and all that she stood for – her light, resilience, passion, and tenacity to overcome anything in her way. I am driven by the dream that if we had a cure for CF, maybe we’d be fighting alongside her instead of in memory of her today. I am driven by a dream that, one day, every person with cystic fibrosis will have the chance to live a long, healthy life.

It is your support that has allowed us to move forward in this dream – because of you, the average life expectancy for a person with CF has more than doubled over the past three decades, and more than a dozen CF treatments have been created, an unprecedented amount in such a short span of time. It is because of you, there are more than 40 therapies in the drug development pipeline with the potential to significantly improve the lives of those living with CF that still don’t benefit from available existing treatments. Your support has made a difference.

Our vision is a cure for every person with cystic fibrosis and a life free from the burden of this disease, we will not leave anyone behind – YOU are an important part of our progress to getting us one step closer to ending this disease and making CF stand for Cure Found.