LAKEWOOD — The Western New York chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation will celebrate 31 years of Great Strides this year.

Jamestown Great Strides, a 3-mile walk, will take place rain or shine on Sunday, May 19, at the Lakewood Rod and Gun Club at 11 a.m. This event is part of the largest national event to raise funds and awareness for cystic fibrosis, a rare, genetic disease that progressively limits the ability to breathe and ultimately causes premature death.

Since the program began in 1988, it has raised more than $600 million to help drive advances in CF research and care that have dramatically improved outcomes for people with CF. This year, the CF Foundation hopes to raise an additional $41 million to help support the development of new therapies and, ultimately, help find a cure for all people with CF.

“Every walker who joins us makes a difference in the lives of people living with cystic fibrosis,” said Heather McKeever, executive director for the Western New York CFF chapter. “When we first began, children with CF typically did not live long enough to attend elementary school. Today, people in our community are living long enough to achieve milestones like graduating high school and getting married. We have made tremendous progress, but too many people are still losing their fight with CF too soon. We still have a long way to go until we reach our goal of a cure for everyone with this terrible disease.”

The event includes free food, refreshments and fun activities for the whole family. Check-in begins at 10 a.m. and the walk will kick-off at 11 a.m. To register for Jamestown Great Strides, please visit http://fightcf.cff.org.

The CF Foundation is an accredited charity of the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance.