After Keira Hornyak, 20, saw her friend Chase Honeycutt struggle with cystic fibrosis, she wanted to find a way to help.
Honeycutt has to take several pills a day to help manage cystic fibrosis, which is a disease that causes a buildup of mucus in the lungs, making it difficult to breathe.
Now, Hornyak is hosting the first UF Cystic Fibrosis Climb on Saturday to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, which searches for a cure.
Students will run through Ben Hill Griffin Stadium from 9 a.m. to noon. The cost is $35 for general admission and $25 for UF students. Participants can register at the stadium starting at 8 a.m.
Breakfast and lunch will be served, and country singer Blaire Hanks will provide live music. Participants who do not want to participate in the climb but still enjoy the food and performances can pay a $15 virtual-climber fee.
"I want Chase to see a day where he doesn’t have to worry constantly," Hornyak, a UF political science and telecommunication junior, said.
Hornyak said befriending Honeycutt made her remember to enjoy life.
"I think our climb here is just meant to be," she said.
The climb shows participants what it’s like to live with cystic fibrosis, Hornyak said.
"Stadium climbing is really taxing on the lungs, even for people who have normal function," she said.
UF aerospace engineering freshman Conner Dowd said he is excited to run at the event.
"A lot of people in college get out and run, and this gives college students an opportunity to go out and run for a good cause," the 18-year-old said.
Hannah Korah, the vice president of Climb UF, said she hopes at least 500 people participate, setting a precedent for future climbs in Gainesville.
"We’re trying to help add tomorrows for those who are affected by CF," the 19-year-old UF neurobiological sciences sophomore said.
