After a year off, Shuffle co-founder Heidi Prowse is again pulling on the red race wear to bring attention and funds to the condition that plays a huge role her life. Heidi's husband, Andrew, has CF. Together, the couple was the driving force behind the first Shuffle in 2011, aiming to raise $10,000 for CFACT. They raised $12,000 and the event has become CFACT's major annual fundraiser.

Heidi's inspiration to work so hard for CF comes from her husband. "The day we met, I decided I wanted to grow old with this man, but he told me that couldn't be the case, because he has a chronic illness and a short life expectancy," she said.

CF is the most common life-shortening genetic condition in Australia. People with CF have an average life expectancy of 38 years.

"At that moment I realised, I can't lose this person, they are my everything! So, I activated fight mode, joined CFACT as the president, became their first staff member, learnt everything I could learn and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars," she said. "I advocated for his health care and that of others (at every level) and made sure CFACT can have a real, positive impact on the health of people with CF in the ACT region."

Heidi would love to see the Santa Shuffle keep growing. "I want people to be brave enough to get out in budgie smugglers and run around, and raise money because it does connect directly to people's lives."

The Santa Speedo Shuffle is in its eighth year and participants are asked to raise at least $650 each. The overall goal is to fundraise $165,000 as people with CF receive little or no government funding or support and rely heavily on their community-based associations for help. All funds raised are used to alleviate the costs to members of treating the disease and add to their quality of life.