I’ve been a runner for most of my life. After having to drop out of three previous marathons because of my CF, I was finally ready to run this year’s Boston Marathon.
Site Search
For me, exercise has been a magical treatment for my cystic fibrosis. I have found that our bodies respond to the demands put on them, so train your body to meet a fitness goal, and your strength and endurance will improve.
After I was told to stick with sprints because my cystic fibrosis would make it hard to become a distance runner, I was determined to prove that this disease won’t hold me back from my goals.
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.
I stopped exercising regularly after losing my mother (and workout partner) to cancer. Once I started doing virtual fitness classes during the pandemic, I began to feel stronger and healthier, both mentally and physically.
My school gave students a choice of how they want to go back to school: virtually or in person. After considering what made sense for my CF, learning style, and mental health, I decided to attend school in person.
When my university first shut down in March because of COVID-19, I thought our quarantine would be temporary. Now I am contemplating a fully online fall semester. I'm calling on all colleges to continue to accommodate the needs of their high-risk students.
My feisty, athletic nature has gotten me through two double-lung transplants. Although my active lifestyle is different than before, I have embraced brand-new competitive pursuits that have helped me develop the mental fortitude to overcome medical adversity.
Annoying though it may have been for me, my mom was determined to raise a daughter who was healthy despite CF. However, we would both soon realize that not every symptom is visible.