More than 40 Snoqualmie Valley residents showed their support of a local team at the Seattle Great Strides event for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation on Sunday, May 23. The Kaitie’s Kingdom Great Strides Team was founded to show support for a Snoqualmie 6-year-old, Kaitie Gallagher, who is living with Cystic Fibrosis.

Kaitie’s team raised more than $3,000 to be used in research for better treatments – and hopefully one day a cure – for people like Kaitie who live with this deadly disease. In addition, dozens of friends, family and even strangers who encouraged the team, local businesses such as Kingdom Martial Arts, Mount Si Golf Course, Nature’s Marketplace, Snoqualmie Elementary School’s staff and U-Do-It Scrapbooking showed their support.

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease which causes excessively thick and sticky mucus, causing blockages and life-threatening infections in the respiratory, digestive and reproductive systems. While advances in treatment have lengthened the average life span of someone with CF to nearly 34 years of age, there is currently no cure.

For more information on Kaitie’s Kingdom Great Stride Team, visit their website at http://home.att.net/~cathy.gallagher/

Cathy Gallagher

Snoqualmie