ETALK Anchor Ben Mulroney Launches Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month

May is Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month

TORONTO, April 29, 2014 /CNW/ - Cystic Fibrosis Canada and new National Ambassador Ben Mulroney, from CTV's ETALK, invite all Canadians to join in the fight against cystic fibrosis (CF) during the month of May. As his first priority as National Ambassador for Cystic Fibrosis Canada, Mulroney will be leading the Great Strides™ walk, a national fundraising event, taking place Sunday, May 25, 2014 in 70 locations across Canada. All money raised through pledges and donations, will support CF research and care programs funded by Cystic Fibrosis Canada.

"I encourage everyone to join me and my team as we walk to support the thousands of Canadians who are living with the devastating effects of cystic fibrosis," said Ben Mulroney. "Together we can help raise funds for important research that will bring us closer to finding a cure or control for this fatal genetic disease. My family has a long history of supporting this great cause and I'll be very proud to be leading the Great Strides™ walk on May 25 at the Toronto Zoo."

Each week in Canada, two more children are diagnosed and one person dies from the disease.  Of the Canadians with cystic fibrosis who died in 2012, half were under 32 years old. There is no cure. However, thanks to investments in innovative research, life expectancy is increasing. Fifty years ago, most children diagnosed with cystic fibrosis did not even live long enough to attend kindergarten. Today, 60 per cent of Canadians with cystic fibrosis are living into adulthood.

"All year we work hard for Canadians with cystic fibrosis, but in May during Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month, together with our partners, volunteers and donors, we roll-up our sleeves and work even harder," said Maureen Adamson, President and CEO of Cystic Fibrosis Canada. "We are delighted that Ben Mulroney has joined our enduring CF mission. Thanks to the support of champions like Ben, we can continue our important work to find a cure for cystic fibrosis."

Canadians can get involved and help to support this great cause during the month of May by: participating in, or sponsoring a walker in, the Great Strides™ walk; sharing news about the campaign on social media; sharing their stories about cystic fibrosis with elected officials by writing, calling or meeting with them; volunteering or fundraising through a local Cystic Fibrosis Canada Chapter. Canadians can donate to support life-saving CF research and care at www.cysticfibrosis.ca.

For more information about Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month please visit our website at www.cysticfibrosis.ca, find us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/CysticFibrosisCanada) and follow us on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/CFCanada).

Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is the most common fatal genetic disease affecting Canadian children and young adults. It is a multi-system disease that affects mainly the lungs and the digestive system. In the lungs, where the effects are most devastating, a build-up of thick mucus causes severe respiratory problems. Mucus and protein also build up in the digestive tract, making it difficult to digest and absorb nutrients from food. As improved therapies have helped to address the malnutrition issues, ultimately most deaths related to cystic fibrosis are due to lung disease. There is no cure.

Cystic Fibrosis Canada
Cystic Fibrosis Canada is one of the world's top three charitable organizations committed to finding a cure for cystic fibrosis and is an internationally-recognized leader in funding CF research, innovation, and clinical care. We invest more funding in life-saving CF research and care than any other non-governmental agency in Canada. We funded Dr. Lap Chee Tsui and his international research team who found the gene responsible for cystic fibrosis in 1989, and continue to fund leading-edge research in the hope of finding a cure or control for cystic fibrosis. Since 1960, Cystic Fibrosis Canada has invested more than $150 million in leading research, care and advocacy, resulting in one of the world's highest median survival rates for Canadians living with cystic fibrosis. For more information, visit www.cysticfibrosis.ca.

Great Strides™ walk
Every year across Canada, friends, family and colleagues of Canadians with cystic fibrosis lace up their shoes to participate in the Great Strides™ walk, our flagship national fundraising event. This year, thousands of Canadians will take steps for a CF cure on Sunday, May 25, 2014 in almost 70 locations. Last year, the Great Strides™ walk raised more than $3.2 million for life-saving CF research and care. All money raised, through pledges and donations, will support CF research and care programs funded by Cystic Fibrosis Canada. 2014 marks the tenth year for the Great Strides™ walk in Canada, with more than $18.5 million since 2005.

To register, collect pledges and/or make donation, visit www.cysticfibrosis.ca/greatstrides today. Follow us on Twitter: @GreatStridesCDN hashtag #greatstridesCDN

Ben Mulroney
A veteran of entertainment reporting for more than a decade, Montreal-born Ben Mulroney is an expert in his industry and regarded by many Hollywood stars (north and south of the border) as a friendly face, a respected journalist and a pro at his job. As anchor of Canada's #1 entertainment show, ETALK, Mulroney delivers entertainment news daily from the ETALK studio in Toronto, and travels the world to interview the biggest stars ― reporting from the biggest red carpet events, including the OSCARS^®, GOLDEN GLOBES^® and JUNO Awards. He also adds radio airwaves to his repertoire as host and co-creator of ETALK 20, a weekly two-hour radio show that airs on Bell Media Radio stations across Canada. For more information, visit www.CTV.ca/etalk.

SOURCE: Cystic Fibrosis Canada

Melinda McInnes, Cystic Fibrosis Canada, E-mail: [email protected], Tel: [phone] x 240, Tel: [phone] x 240, www.cysticfibrosis.ca; Caroline De Silva, Argyle Communications, Email: [email protected], Tel: [phone] x231