The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is proud to announce that it has surpassed its goal for the Milestones III: Driven by a Dream major giving campaign, raising more than $200 million to support its mission. This extraordinary achievement marks pivotal progress in narrowing the gap between promising science and the financial resources needed to pursue a cure.
To harness this momentum and drive even greater impact, the Foundation has boldly set out to raise an additional $50 million in the year ahead, bringing the campaign’s overall goal to $250 million.
“While we celebrate how far we’ve come, we know the journey is far from over. Our vision remains unchanged: a cure for every person with cystic fibrosis and a life free from the burden of this disease,” said Irena Barisic, EVP and Chief Operating and Financial Officer of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. “Advancing genetic therapies — our best hope to help every person with CF — requires unprecedented investment. These therapies are more complex and costly than any we've ever pursued, with expenses that could be ten times higher than those of novel therapies a decade ago.”
This campaign continues to be inspired by the vision and legacy of the late Joe O’Donnell, a devoted CF father, beloved philanthropic leader, and longtime champion of the CF community. Under Joe’s leadership, the Milestones I and II campaigns resulted in $257 million from 2004–2015, funding groundbreaking research that led to transformative therapies for many living with CF.
Following Joe’s passing, longstanding volunteers Kate O’Donnell and Amy Barry stepped forward to carry the torch as Co-Chairs of Milestones III. Their leadership has been pivotal to the campaign’s success and will remain a driving force as we strive to achieve our next ambitious goal.
“This was my dad’s third campaign, and he was deeply moved by the incredible support we received, especially during the challenging years of the pandemic,” reflects Kate. “His passion and commitment continue to inspire us every day. As he so often said, ‘Giving up is not an option.’ I am so proud to continue his legacy in this way, and make sure that his dream of finding a cure is realized.”
Supporting them are campaign ambassadors Amy and John Weinberg, Kate and Bob Niehaus, and CF Foundation Board Chair KC White and the Milestones III Steering Committee.
“We are deeply grateful for the dedicated volunteers from the CF Community who joined the Milestones III effort,” said Amy Barry. “And thanks to this campaign, we have increased our Legacy Society Membership by close 650 members, bringing the total over 1,200 members. The campaign has also secured major gift donations and legacy commitments from more than 1,150 donors in our community.”
With the unwavering support of our community, we believe that future breakthroughs are within reach. Every gift moves us closer to a new milestone, and ultimately, to a cure.
To learn more or make a gift, please contact Angela Lynn, Sr. National Leadership Giving Director, at alynn@cff.org or 301-907-2578.