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

June 9, 2008

(Bethesda, Md.)—The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation announced today that actress Mackenzie Rosman, the Foundation’s National Honorary Chair for the CureFinders^® school fund-raising program, will visit the top earning school for 2008—William Howard Taft High School in Woodland Hills, Calif. Students at the school raised more than $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^® in 2006, about 875 schools nationwide have participated in the program. As part of CureFinders^®, 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 dollars—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^®. 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^®. 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^® 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^® 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^® by calling (800) FIGHT CF or visiting cff.org/GetInvolved/Events/CureFinders.

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.

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