Rochester Hills girl inspires cystic fibrosis fundraising

Celebrating its sixth year of support for people struggling with cystic fibrosis (CF), Toast to a Cure expects to raise more than $50,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF).

The public is welcome to enjoy an evening of dinner, dancing, a live band, and silent auctions on March 16, 2019, at 6 p.m. at Petruzzellos in Troy. Tickets are $100 per person and can be purchased online at: https://passion.cff.org/toast-to-a-cure/Donate/Tickets. The ticket price includes dinner, open bar, dessert and entertainment. A portion of each ticket ($43) is tax-deductible.

The event was established in support of Kate Wood, who is now an eighth-grader at Van Hoosen Middle School in Rochester Hills. Her parents, Jim and Cathy Wood, have been passionately involved in CF fundraising. Many of their friends and family from around the country launched Kate’s Krew, a group of volunteers who host Toast to a Cure each February/March and participate in the Great Strides 5K Walk in May.

“We continue to support this cause because of the progressive nature of Kate’s disease,” said Cathy Wood. “The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is the world’s leader in the search for the cure for cystic fibrosis. The CFF receives no federal funding, therefore, they depend on the generosity of individual donors, corporations and foundations.”

“We hope to someday make CF stand not for cystic fibrosis, but for cure found!” said Jim Wood.

The event features an open bar, music and dancing, inspirational messages from CF survivors and their family members, and silent auction items including bottles of wine, tickets to sporting events, signed memorabilia, gift certificates to local restaurants, and much more. (Petruzzellos is located at 6950 Rochester Road in Troy.)