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Parents of children with cystic fibrosis may be anxious about whether a school or day care can accommodate their child's special needs. Students with CF may worry about being different from their peers. As a teacher, you can provide reassurance to both parents and students by working with them and CF health care professionals to maximize your student's overall learning experience, while helping to maintain his or her health.

Looking back at my freshman year, I realize that putting college before my CF wasn't the first thing I had all wrong. 

Finding a Balance Between CF and High School

Growing up, I never had any doubts that I would one day go off to college and pursue a career, despite having cystic fibrosis. But when the time came to prepare to attend Marquette University and live on my own in Milwaukee, I knew I would need a plan in order to make my transition to college life as smooth as possible.

As a teacher with cystic fibrosis, I find it no surprise that heading back to school can be a shock to my system. But over the years, I've learned that if I can remember three main things, I can stay healthy through the transition back to school.

During my five months in Denmark for a study abroad program, I not only learned more about myself and others, but I became more confident in my ability to take care of myself. Don't let CF stand in the way of experiencing that, or any other dreams.

Life -- especially when you have cystic fibrosis -- is what you make it. Here is how my CF inspired me to attend law school and helped me get to where I am today.

How do you define passion? For me, it's simple. It's the things that I enjoy, the things that I love and the things that I want to do continuously. However, trying to figure out what those things are is not so simple. 

Learn how Rachel Kinney manages her CF while away at college.