Walking the walk to help conquer cystic fibrosis

At the 2009 edition of this Destination Cure walk held at Centre de la Nature, participants outdid all 22 previous marches, bringing in a record $120,000 in pledges and contributions, a generous amount which exceeded the target of $90,000 set by organizers for the Montreal-Laval-Laurentides region. Last year the walk raised $80,000.

This annual Destination Cure walk is the largest national fund-raising event sponsored by the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in its battle to find a cure for this illness which affects the mucus membranes of the lungs and the digestive system.

"The walk was a huge success. There were lots of young people involved. We've greatly exceeded our goals and we haven't even finished counting all the donations and contributions yet," noted Daniel Dettmers, president of the Montreal Chapter of the Quebec Cystic Fibrosis Association (AQFK).

All funds raised during the walk will be used for medical research into the disease and for support of clinics that specialize in the treatment of people victimized by the illness.