I had never heard of cystic fibrosis until I received my diagnosis — but learning how to navigate my CF prepared me to advocate for my husband’s medical care and helped me grow as an artist.
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A chance meeting at a CF conference 12 years ago gave me one of the most valuable gifts: my CF Mama friend group. Since then, we’ve invested time in our friendship and supported each other through the laughs and the tears.
Throughout my life with cystic fibrosis, I never thought about the prospect that I would outlive my loved ones. Now that I have attended some of their funerals, the thought of my own mortality has caught up with me.
Hospice care helped my daughter, Desirée, through her final days.
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.
As an adult with cystic fibrosis, I know I am blessed to be healthy right now. I find joy in spreading awareness of CF and encouraging others to follow their dreams no matter what.
When my daughter was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, I found it difficult to explain this disease to my parents in Spanish, and I also felt alone in my rural community. That is why I think it is important to bring CF awareness to the Hispanic community.
Take it from me, dating with cystic fibrosis can be hard — from not having the energy to keep up with our partners to dealing with all the not-so-sexy aspects of the disease. But it’s important to not settle for anything less than the love and support we deserve.
Living with CF means I quickly became familiar with the patient side of the health care field. My experiences in the hospital have motivated me to become the kind of nurse that listens to and advocates for their patients.
The CF community supported me so much during my two double-lung transplants, so I’m eager and excited to give back. One of the ways I got involved was by becoming a mentor, which is how I formed an incredible bond with my friend, Brittani.