By Gary Lloyd
The Blow Away 5K and one-mile fun run benefiting the Alabama Friends of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is scheduled for Nov. 9 in Trussville.
The races will begin at The Mall in downtown Trussville. The 5K run/walk will begin at 8 a.m. and the one-mile fun run begins at 9 a.m.
Registration is $25 for the 5K until Nov. 2 and $5 for the one-mile fun run. After Nov. 2, registration is $30 for the 5K.
Awards will be given to the top males and females for each age category in the 5K. Awards will also be given to the top boys and girls ages 14 and under that participate in the one-mile fun run.
Runners begin the Blow Away 5K race a couple years ago.
photo courtesy of www.blowaway5k.com
The Blow Away 5K was started in 2010 by three Trussville-area families with children who were affected by cystic fibrosis. The families decided to start the 5K to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. All proceeds go toward the Alabama Friends of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Funds will be used to support the development of new drugs to fight cystic fibrosis and improve the quality of life for children and adults with cystic fibrosis.
Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease that affects multiple organ systems with the most severe complications resulting from lung and gastrointestinal involvement. Nearly 30,000 children and adults in the U.S. are affected by the disease. Cystic fibrosis is caused by a defective gene and its protein product that causes the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs and obstructs the pancreas, which prevents natural enzymes from breaking down and absorbing food.
In the 1950s, most children with the disease didn’t survive to attend elementary school. Today, the average lifespan of those with cystic fibrosis is 37.
For more information, visit www.blowaway5k.com or email blowaway5k@gmail.com.
Contact Gary Lloyd at news@trussvilletribune.com and follow him on Twitter @GaryALloyd.
