This year marks the 25th anniversary of Lee University hosting the Cleveland Great Strides Walk and 65 Roses 5K, and for 25 years, JoBeth and Milton Boyer and Willa and Bedford Smith have been central to the event’s impact.
 
While the Smiths were serving in the mission field, their son Nathan was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF). The family returned to Cleveland in 1988 so Nathan could receive treatment. He later graduated from Cleveland High School and, in 2003, from Lee University. He went on to earn his master’s degree from Trevecca University in 2005 and received his certification as a physician assistant.
 
During his time at Lee, Nathan was a well-known student, participating in the service club Pi Kappa Pi and competing on the men’s tennis team. In 2001, the Cleveland Great Strides Walk began under the leadership of Dr. Mike Hayes and Lee’s student leadership team, in part to support Nathan and to raise awareness for cystic fibrosis. Nathan’s family and friends formed “Team Nathan,” a walk team that continued to grow even after his graduation.
 
Since Nathan’s passing in 2009, the Smith family has continued to honor his memory through Team Nathan and ongoing involvement with Great Strides.
 
“The Smith family’s involvement with Great Strides is now helping others to live longer and healthier lives,” said Vanessa Hammond, vice president for Lee’s University Relations and parent of an adult child with CF. “Nathan and his parents, family, and friends are inspiring examples of a generous heart and spirit to everyone in the CF community.”

Years later, Nathan’s legacy would come full circle in the life of another Lee family. 

JoBeth Boyer, a lecturer in biology and health sciences at Lee, met Nathan on a Guatemala medical mission trip through Lee’s Global Perspectives program. Through Nathan and his family, Boyer learned about CF and began participating in Great Strides the following year to raise awareness and support research efforts toward a cure.
 
In 2013, the Boyers’ granddaughter Holly was born, followed by her brother, Jimmy, in 2017. Both children were diagnosed with CF. Today, the Boyers remain deeply involved in Great Strides through “Team Holly and Jimmy,” carrying forward a commitment that began years earlier.
 
“It’s incredible the way the Lord works,” said Boyer. “Nathan was the sweetest man, and it was such an honor to know him. It was through meeting him that I learned about CF and became passionate about creating awareness and fundraising for a cure. When our grandchildren were born with CF, it felt like God had equipped me to support them through my relationship with Nathan and his family, as well as my involvement with Great Strides, which does such incredible work in the battle against CF.”
 
In honor of Lee’s final year hosting the event, the Boyers have pledged a $50,000 matching gift. Team fundraising will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $35,000, and new or increased corporate sponsorships will be matched up to $15,000. Donations beyond the match will continue to support the CF Foundation’s mission.
 
“Cystic fibrosis is intensely personal to us,” said the Boyers. “Like all grandparents, we want our grandchildren to live their best life despite the challenges of having CF. With the approval of Trikafta in 2019, we have seen first-hand the promise these drugs can provide. While they are not a cure, they represent a revolutionary leap from just managing symptoms to addressing the underlying genetic abnormality. Our family is filled with gratitude to those who have walked this path before us. We hope that through continued research we will find new ways to assist those living with CF and, ultimately, a cure.”
 
Nathan Smith’s legacy lives on at Lee University through endowment scholarships established by the Boyer and Smith families, as well as their ongoing involvement with Great Strides.
 
Lee University will host the 25th and final Great Strides Walk and 65 Roses 5K on its campus Saturday, March 28. Although this year concludes Lee’s tenure as host, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation hopes to continue engaging with the Cleveland community in the years ahead.
 
The route for the 2026 Cleveland Great Strides Walk and 65 Roses 5K run (3.1 miles), directed by Dr. Bill Estes in partnership with Terra Running Company, will begin and end on the Lee campus and travel throughout Cleveland’s historic downtown area. The walk and road race will begin at 9 a.m., and a 1K Fun Run (0.6 miles) will take place at 9:30 a.m. and will begin and end in front of the Paul Conn Student Union.      
 
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is a nonprofit donor-supported organization dedicated to attacking cystic fibrosis from every angle. Its focus is to support the development of new drugs to fight the disease, improve the quality of life for those with CF, and ultimately find a cure. Research is happening daily to find a cure and develop drugs available to those living with CF.  
 
To register or for more information about the Cleveland Great Strides or 65 Roses 5K, visit leeuniversity.edu/great-strides or fundraise.cff.org/leeugs2026.     
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For more information about how to host an event with the CF Foundation, please contact Leigh Ellington at [email protected] or Jolly Johnson at [email protected]. 
 
For more information about the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, cff.org.