Remembering Mary Weiss and Her Legacy of Courage

The CF Foundation's CEO reflects on the passing of Mary Weiss, who helped blaze new trails in the fight against CF.

Apr. 19, 2016 | 1 min read

Preston W. Campbell, III, M.D.

It is with a heavy heart that I share the passing of Mary G. Weiss, who died on April 16 at the age of 77. Mary was the mother of three children with CF -- one of whom coined the term “65 Roses” -- and became one of the early pioneers of the CF Foundation. Mary's fierce courage and commitment in the fight against this disease fueled great progress and will continue to inspire our work. Without heroes like Mary, the CF Foundation could not have made the advancements we have made.

Preston-Campbell-Mary-Weiss-Collage — In addition to serving as a volunteer, Mary founded the CF Foundation's Palm Beach Chapter, holding an inaugural “Sixty-Five Roses” fundraising event, which began as a brunch and fashion show and is now an annual gala.

I encourage you to read about Mary's many achievements in the battle against CF.

This site contains general information about cystic fibrosis, as well as personal insight from the CF community. Opinions and experiences shared by members of our community, including but not limited to people with CF and their families, belong solely to the blog post author and do not represent those of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, unless explicitly stated. In addition, the site is not intended as a substitute for treatment advice from a medical professional. Consult your doctor before making any changes to your treatment.

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In Memoriam

Dr. Preston Campbell served as president and chief executive officer of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation from 2015 - 2019. A leader at the CF Foundation for more than 20 years, Dr. Campbell previously served as the Foundation's executive vice president for medical affairs, overseeing the Foundation's research, drug discovery, drug development and clinical research programs, and directed clinical research, the Foundation's network of care centers, clinical training programs and the national patient registry database. He initially became interested in cystic fibrosis as a CF camp counselor while earning his medical degree from the University of Virginia Medical School.

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