Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a progressive genetic disease that causes chronic lung infections and, over time, limits a person’s ability to breathe. More than 30,000 people in the United States are living with CF and about 1,000 new cases of CF are diagnosed every year.
In 2006, a group of researchers based in Australia noticed that people who have CF and also surfed seemed to be in better health than those who did not, and eventually the researchers discovered it was the ocean air’s hypertonic saline helping those people thrive. The research study “A Controlled Trial of Long-Term Inhaled Hypertonic Saline in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis” was published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2006 and it inspired lifelong surfer and Ambry founder Charles Dunlop to start the Mauli Ola Foundation (MOF), nonprofit organization that introduces ocean-based activities as natural therapies to those living with genetic disease.
Established in 2007, MOF tours the country every year in the beginning in May, Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month, and features professional surfers who host “Surf Experience Days” (SED) at their local beaches.
“We are going on our 10th year and we’re so excited to reconnect with the CF community,” said Mauli Ola Director of Development Hans Hagen. “Ocean activities as natural therapy are the origin of MOF and we look forward to another season.”
The tour began in Honolulu, Hawaii on May 6th, featuring professional surfer Sunny Garcia, and makes stops across Southern California and Hawaii. Below is the current schedule for May:
- 5/6 – Honolulu, Hawaii
- 5/13 – Manhattan Beach, California
- 5/20 – Huntington Beach, California
- 5/27 – Del Mar, California
For more information about MOF and to learn about volunteer opportunities, click here.
