Kayaking the Adriatic to raise awareness about cystic fibrosis

A 180-kilometer crossing of the Adriatic Sea to raise awareness of cystic fibrosis and reiterate the importance of physical activity as a fundamental therapy for improving respiratory function in those with the disease. This is the goal of the "125 Miles for a Breath," an initiative promoted by the Italian Cystic Fibrosis League and led by Alessandro Gattafoni, a cystic fibrosis patient from the Marche region. Starting from Civitanova Marche, Gattafoni kayaked 180 kilometers across the sea to the city of Šibenik, Croatia, in 20 hours and 16 minutes.

"It was a difficult crossing, with less than perfect weather conditions, but we chose the best solution to complete it safely," Gattafoni said. "I wanted to push from the start, both because I wanted to set a good time and, above all, because I was dying to touch Croatian soil and do it under my own steam! Crossing the sea is synonymous with difficulty, the same difficulty that cystic fibrosis patients, and especially those 'orphaned by care,' face every day."

This new 2025 edition, made possible thanks to the unconditional contribution of Vertex Pharmaceuticals, aims to shine a spotlight on all those people with cystic fibrosis who are currently "treatment orphans" in Italy—those patients who cannot yet access the new drugs available for the treatment of the disease due to their genetic mutation. Gattafoni's achievement will be celebrated with an event on Sunday, July 13th in Civitanova Marche.