Abi Johnson

My Great Strides Story

I am walking this year in honor of my great uncle, Leslie Calvert Wells Jr. (1959-2021) and the Cystic Fibrosis community. Leslie enjoyed woodworking, hunting on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, collecting historical relics, and riding his motorcycle. He also had Cystic Fibrosis, a progressive, genetic condition that impacts the lungs, pancreas and other organs. On January 22, 1989 Leslie received a life-giving double lung and heart transplant at Harefield Hospital outside of London. At the time, traveling internationally was the only option in his condition for this type of double transplant.

Leslie's transplant and subsequent care wouldn't have been made possible without the fundraising efforts from our family and the community. Transplant is not a cure for CF, rather an option for patients with advanced disease that comes with its own set of risks. There is currently no cure for Cystic Fibrosis. By participating in Great Strides, I am supporting the effort to raise awareness and end this disease for thousands of people impacted by CF.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has made great progress in fostering and developing several CF treatments. However, not everyone benefits from these treatments, and they are not a cure. Please support me in reaching my Great Strides fundraising goal to honor Leslie and the CF community. Thank you for your gift!