Growing up, Keenan Flynn rejected what he saw as negative messages surrounding cystic fibrosis. Keenan credits a healthy mental attitude, and a non-acceptance of the negative messages about his health, for his physical development.
Site Search
All my life I wanted an answer to why I was so sick. Then I got it, in the form of a CF diagnosis.
In 1986, I decided to walk across America to raise awareness of CF. Positivity, my martial arts training and the people I met kept me going.
Gyms are wonderful places to exercise, but they can also be great places for germs. Germs can spread as far as six feet (two meters) through droplets released in the air by coughs or sneezes, and can remain in the air on tiny droplets -- ready to be breathed in.
If your child has cystic fibrosis, chances are you have some concerns about school fitness activities like physical education classes or school sports teams. Even though some people with CF have trouble breathing and tire easily, exercise can be especially important.
All too often, we begin an exercise program but quickly quit. Change doesn't happen all at once, nor does it happen at the same rate for different people. Starting at the right pace is important, and knowing your fitness level, or state of readiness, is key to finding the exercise plan that's right for you.
I kept at riding because every time my lungs would get tight, I thought of people with CF who would give anything to be out of breath just because they were riding up a hill.
As a hospital administrator, I try to apply what I've learned from receiving care as a person with CF to provide better health care for my patients.
The Partnerships for Sustaining Daily Care (PSDC) team had the opportunity to hear from people with cystic fibrosis, families and care teams at five Family Education Days at care centers across the country. Here's what we heard.