I struggled emotionally after learning that after negative carrier and newborn screens, my son had cystic fibrosis. I’m now advocating for people with rare mutations.
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My son, who is Black, has cystic fibrosis. It seems like just a normal fact of life, but I have become frustrated with having to convince doctors that he really does have CF. I hope that one day people of color won’t have to have the same experience.
I began fundraising and raising CF awareness soon after my son, Aidan, was diagnosed as a baby. After years of successful fundraiser walks, Aidan asked me to stop — opening my eyes to the difference between being a mom of someone with CF and being the person who is living with CF.
I felt so alone as a kid being gay and having CF — there weren’t any role models in the 80s and 90s that I could look up to. Eventually, I found people who understood what I was going through and that helped me feel good about who I was, and who I am today.
After years of being treated as an oddity, I want people to acknowledge that I am a Black girl with cystic fibrosis. I want my voice to be heard.
Having a friend with cystic fibrosis has made me determined to do all that I can to help her fight for a cure. That includes leading the charge for making legacy donations to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
My son, Arjun, has had the deck stacked against him in some ways. He was born early, with cystic fibrosis, and needed surgery. His resilience, and my hopes for his future, keep me inspired.
As I reflect on the 30th anniversary of Great Strides and my 35-year journey living with cystic fibrosis, I celebrate all the CF community has accomplished together and am thankful to be able to share my story as a 2018 National Ambassador.
With another fantastic Volunteer Leadership Conference (VLC) in the books, I want to share some of the things we learned and how we can keep the momentum going through National Volunteer Week, and all year long.