USC Sumter will host Great Strides 2006 April 1 as part of a statewide fundraising effort on behalf of the S.C. Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Registration will begin at 8 a.m. in the lobby of the Nettles Building. The walk, which begins at 9 a.m., will be confined to the campus. In the event of rain, the walk will be held in the Nettles Building gym. Refreshments will be served.

Julie N. McCoy, USC Sumter bookstore assistant and fiscal technician, is coordinating Great Strides 2006. Her daughter, Heather, suffers from cystic fibrosis.

"Anyone who would like to take part in Great Strides 2006 may want to form a team, join a team, or simply participate as an individual," McCoy said. "The important thing is to be a part of this effort to help raise money to fund research in hopes of finding a cure for this debilitating and deadly disease."

Cystic fibrosis is a life-threatening genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system. More than 10 million Americans are symptomless carriers of the defective gene; many are unaware of this genetic trait.

For more information or to find out how to participate in Great Strides 2006, contact McCoy at 938-3821 or mccoyjn@uscsumter.edu.

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