Boomer Esiason Foundation Launches New CF Biking Event

Combining sporting events, socialization, and awareness campaigns has always been a great way to involve more people in supporting a cause. Whether it’s running a marathon, completing a workout, or doing cross-country biking, injecting an element of fun into supporting a serious disease has become a reliable, win-win approach to fundraising and boosting awareness — as is the case with this upcoming 500-mile bike ride for cystic fibrosis (CF).

Sports and media personality Boomer Esiason and his wife founded the Boomer Esiason Foundation (BEF) back in 1993 when their son was diagnosed with CF. The foundation recently announced a new sporting event under the Team Boomer series entitled, Bike to Breathe. It’s pilot ride, Jerry and Em’s Great CF Adventure, featuring a bike ride spanning Cary, N.C. to Baltimore, Md., and a pair of CF patients in the lead.

Jerry Cahill is 58 years old, and has undergone a double lung transplant. At present, he is one of the foundation’s CF Ambassadors, and active volunteers. Em Schaller is younger at 32 years old, and only started her involvement in regular physical activity and sports in 2007. This was the time she found out about Jerry’s survivor story, and took it upon herself to take control of her sickness and let more people know about it through the Rock CF Foundation, which she founded.

For those interested in following the two CF bikers’ journey and progress, their Twitter IDs are @jcahillYCF, and @RockCFem. You can also follow the BEF at @Cysticfibrosis or #CFBikeAdventure, or Like them on Facebook. Jerry and Em will be following the route schedule below:

• Day 1 (Sept. 15) – Cary, N.C. to Rocky Mount, N.C.

• Day 2 (Sept. 16) – Rocky Mount, N.C. to Murfreesboro, N.C.

• Day 3 (Sept. 17) – Murfreesboro, N.C. to Norfolk, Va.

• Day 4 (Sept. 18) – Norfolk, Va. to Williamsburg, Va.

• Day 5 (Sept. 19) – Williamsburg, Va. – Richmond, Va.

• Day 6 (Sept. 20) – Richmond, Va. to Fredericksburg, Va.

• Day 7 (Sept. 21) – Fredericksburg, Va. to Washington, D.C.

• Day 8 (Sept. 22) – Washington, D.C. to Baltimore, Md.

On September 23, after the bike ride will finish at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, and will host a speaking engagement for the two riders, where they can share stories from the ride.

In other CF developments, Austin-based Savara Pharmaceuticals is developing a novel therapy to treat methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and created the product candidate AeroVanc – a vancomycin hydrochloride inhalation powder.