Bonnies Walk To Find A Cure For Cystic Fibrosis

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – Hundreds of St. Bonaventure athletes and members of the Athletics  Department will take part in the 5th Annual GREAT STRIDES: Taking Steps to Cure Cystic Fibrosis walk on Saturday, Sept. 18, at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Salamanca.

Registration at the church, located at 99 Wildwood Ave., begins at 10 a.m., with the 1.5-mile walk set to begin at 11. Multiple members of the athletics staff, as well as the men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, baseball and women’s soccer teams will participate in the event.

Head Strength and Conditioning coach Darryn Fiske spearheaded the event four years ago, and has been integral in the subsequent involvement of the St. Bonaventure athletic community. His five-year-old nephew Andrew, who just started kindergarten, was born with cystic fibrosis (CF), a terminal disease that affects the lungs and digestive systems of the body. Forty years ago a majority of children diagnosed with CF never even made it kindergarten, and while strides have been made since then, the average life expectancy of someone with CF is just 40 years.

Last year the event raised more than $27,000, and this year Fiske hopes to push that total over $30,000. In addition to the walk, there will also be free food, music, a silent auction and raffles for Buffalo Bills tickets, Seneca Allegany Casino packages and cash prizes.

“This has become not only an event to raise awareness, but a way for St. Bonaventure to reach out to communities around us to offer our support. It’s also become a way for community members to interact with the athletes.”

Click here to make an online donation or to pre-register for Saturday’s walk. For more information, contact Fiske at (716) 375-7683 or dfiske@sbu.edu.