Cystic fibrosis is not a death sentence.

Brian McCandless was told otherwise as a child. He never believed it.

Now, he's using his disease as one of many reasons to live.

The 2006 Butler High School graduate, now a health and physical education teacher at Indian River Charter High School in Vero Beach, Fla., will embark upon a 3,400-mile bicycle ride this summer from San Francisco to Annapolis, Md.

The journey, called Brian's Ride, was created to inspire those living with cystic fibrosis, educate the public about the disease and raise money for the CF community.

“There is no cure as of yet, but strides are being made,” McCandless said. “I want to do all I can to help raise funds for this medical research.

“This is our fourth ride and by far the longest. The goal is to raise $20,000 to turn over to the cause.”

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder affecting the respiratory and digestive system. While no cure has been found, treatments are lengthening the lives of people with the disease.

McCandless said he was bullied when he was in school and told he wouldn't live long enough to graduate.

“When I was a kid, I was told physical exercise wasn't good for someone with CF and was discouraged to do it,” McCandless said. “I didn't listen to that. I was defiant. I wanted to exercise and do physical things because it was fun.

“I didn't want to be laid back. Then I found out later that physical exercise actually helps people with CF. That's when I realized a need for awareness there.”

He's been working on it ever since.

The first Brian's Ride — a 2,045-mile bicycling trip from Pittsburgh to Tallahassee, Fla., and back — raised $14,000 toward fighting the disease.

The first three bicycling ventures — the others being a 2,000-mile ride from Slippery Rock to every New England state and back, and a 350-mile ride from Washington D.C. to Pittsburgh — raised $26,000 total.

Riding with McCandless on this year's cross-country journey will be his girlfriend, Emily DiMatteo; Slippery Rock University coordinator of club sports/outdoor adventure; Steve Roberts; and his wife, Charese Lashinsky.

All four are SRU graduates.

They will leave San Francisco on their bicycles June 13 and are scheduled to arrive in Annapolis Aug. 2. After riding 100 miles a day, the Brian's Ride team will stop in towns to meet with media members and anyone else willing to listen to McCandless' story.

“It's amazing how many curious people approach us during those stops, or even at brief rest stops, on these rides,” McCandless said. “They want to know what this is all about and some give donations right on the spot.

“People want to help,” he said.

McCandless and his companions are working to find places to spend the night after each riding day.

“We try to cut down on costs with the overnights,” McCandless said. “We stay in churches, with host families, some motels donate a room. The more money we can save there, the more money we can contribute to the cause.”

Roberts met McCandless when both were at SRU and describes him as “a dynamic person” with endless energy.

“Brian is very passionate about fighting this disease,” Roberts said. “He's even done experimental clinical trials to help doctors find new medication to combat it.”

Roberts went along with McCandless on his previous three charity rides.

“We have to head him off all the time just to reel him in, he rides so far ahead,” Roberts said, laughing. “This man takes nothing for granted.”

McCandless will be in the area April 18 to visit with people and accept donations at a spaghetti dinner to benefit Brian's Ride. The dinner will be from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Unionville Fire Hall.

Slippery Rock resident Tom McPherson is one of six people who will drive an accompanying van during the cross-country ride. Two drivers each will be in the van for one of three stages: from San Francisco to Pueblo, Colo.; Pueblo to St. Louis; or St. Louis to Annapolis.

“The van will be carrying food, gear, tools, bike tires, essentials like that,” McCandless said. “As we get into the mountains and/or battle weather conditions, some days may limit us to 70 miles or so. But the plan is to average 100.”

McCandless' physical activity has not been limited to distance bicycle trips or training for those excursions.

Since the last Brian's Ride in 2009, he's completed two half-Ironman events, a full Ironman course, run two marathons and completed a 13-mile Tough Mudder obstacle course.

By following a nutritional diet and taking medication, McCandless stays physically fit and mentally strong.

“I guess it just goes back to that defiance,” he said. “During a doctor visit a few years ago, a nurse told me the story about some CF patients who believed they couldn't get a good job, get married, that it was all pointless.

“They never planned for their future, just existed, working some simple job, just going day by day ... Then it just suddenly hit me.

“Nobody should have to live like that. I'm not going to live like that,” McCandless said.

He's been on the go ever since.

McCandless said he doesn't worry about his own medical prognosis — or even care what it is.

“All I do is try to stay healthy, inspire others and do all I can do to make life better,” he said.

“That's what we're all supposed to do.”

Here are events 2006 Butler High graduate Brian McCandless, diagnosed with cystic fibrosis as a child, has completed since his graduation:2007 — 2,045-mile cycling trip from Pittsburgh to Tallahassee, Fla., and back2008 — 2,000-mile cycling trip from Slippery Rock to every New England state and back2009 — 350-mile cycling trip from Washington, D.C., to Pittsburgh2009 — Musselman Half-Ironman in Geneva. N.Y.: 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, 13.1-mile run2010 — The Great Buckeye Challenge Half-Ironman in Springfield, Ohio: 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, 13.1-mile run2011 — Charleston Marathon, 26.2 miles2012 — Seoul, South Korea International Marathon, 26.2 miles2013 — Couer d’Alene Ironman: 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run2013 — Central Florida Tough Mudder, 13-mile obstacle course