Site Search

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.

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

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

Learn how one college junior went from struggling with CF at school to managing it with flying colors. 

My daughter, Desi, recently started school. Here's what we did to prepare her to manage her cystic fibrosis and navigate the COVID-19 pandemic -- and what we learned in the process.

One of the reasons I decided to attend boarding school was to take charge of my cystic fibrosis care. Although I’m not perfect at taking care of myself, I learned that the importance of staying on top of treatments when my parents gave me the chance to fail.

As a high school nurse responsible for 1,200 students — three of whom have cystic fibrosis — I'm finding this upcoming school year to be particularly challenging. Here is how I implemented a plan of action to keep each student safe while balancing their specific needs.