CYSTIC fibrosis sufferers were joined by their friends and family in a fund-raising drive yesterday.
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Dozens of people walked and ran around Lake Weeroona for the Great Strides event, which aimed to raise funds for research and support for those with the disease.
Organiser Kristy Hunt’s three-year-old son Lincoln Cain suffers the disease and she said families needed all the support they could get.
“The biggest thing is the unknown,” she said.
“You don’t know when they’re going to be sick, you don’t know how long they’ll live for and you don’t know what quality of life they’ll have.
“For me personally, it’s not that tough at the moment but the road ahead is worrying.”
Cystic fibrosis sufferers need regular treatment involving physiotherapy and a daily cocktail of drugs and vitamins.
Penny Davies of Cystic Fibrosis Central Victorian Country Families said there were about 30 locals with the disease.
“We have the largest concentration of cystic fibrosis sufferers in Victoria in this region,” she said.
“Our local group supports more than 50 families affected by the disease and those who have lost loved ones.
“We’ve got newborns through to people in their mid-50s, but the biggest group is people in their late teens to late 20s.”
Sally Richardson has two children with cystic fibrosis and said fund-raising events were hugely important.
“It helps with our cost of medicine and equipment. It can be very expensive,” she said.
The Great Strides event is held annually and doubled last year’s total with $11,000 raised.