CW's 7th Heaven Actress Mackenzie Rosman to Visit Top CureFinders Fund-raising
School for 2008
William Howard Taft High School in Woodland Hills, Calif. Raises More than
$10,000 to Aid in Fight against Cystic Fibrosis
BETHESDA, Md., June 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Cystic Fibrosis
Foundation announced today that actress Mackenzie Rosman, the Foundation's
National Honorary Chair for the CureFinders(R) school fund-raising program,
will visit the top earning school for 2008 -- William Howard Taft High School
in Woodland Hills, CA. Students at the school raised $10,000 doing a simple
coin collection.
"For me, the fight against cystic fibrosis is personal," said Rosman who
played Ruthie Camden on the CW's former television show 7th Heaven. "My
stepsister, Katelyn, has cystic fibrosis, and last year she underwent a double
lung transplant. Our family is grateful for the generosity of the students
from Woodland Hills and their dedication to fighting this life-threatening
disease."
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease that affects 30,000 adults and
children in the United States and 70,000 people worldwide. It causes
life-threatening lung infections and serious digestive complications. More
than 10 million Americans are symptomless carriers of a CF gene. Young people
are lost every day to this disease.
Since the inception of CureFinders(R) in 2006, about 875 schools nationwide
have participated in the program. As part of CureFinders(R), students from
grades K-12 collect spare change and classes compete to raise the most money
at their school. The program has raised nearly $1.4 million -- each dollar
critically important to funding critical research that will save lives.
"On behalf of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, I want to thank the students and
staff of William Howard Taft High School who worked so hard to raise money and
help us fight cystic fibrosis," said Robert J. Beall, Ph.D., president and CEO
of the Foundation. "We are grateful to all the students in California -- and
around the country -- who participate in CureFinders(R). With their help we
hope to make CF stand for 'Cure Found.'"
Each year the top earning school nationwide receives a special visit from the
National Honorary Chair.
BJ's Restaurants, Inc., a long time supporter of the Foundation, is a leading
corporate sponsor of CureFinders(R). In markets where their restaurants are
located, the BJ's Restaurants Foundation will donate $1,000 to each school
that raises at least $1,000 for CureFinders(R) and will donate $1,000 to the
Foundation. Additionally, BJ's will provide a pizza party for the winning
class at each participating school that raises a minimum of $1,000.
"We congratulate William Howard Taft students and are proud to support
CureFinders(R) and schools across the country that are raising money for vital
research for this life-threatening disease," said Robert DeLiema, president of
BJ's Restaurants Foundation.
To help fight CF, get involved in CureFinders(R) by calling (800) FIGHT CF or
visiting www.cff.org.
About the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is the leading organization devoted to curing
and controlling cystic fibrosis. Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., the
Foundation funds CF research, has more than 80 chapters and branch offices
throughout the country, and supports and accredits a nationwide network of
more than 115 CF care centers, which provide vital treatments and other CF
resources to patients and families.
SOURCE Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Elaine Mooney, +1-240-832-4994, Leslie Kerr, +1-323-655-8525, or Laurie Fink,
+1-301-841-2602, all of Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
