Meet the 2020 Scholars

"What do you believe is the greatest unaddressed patient need in the CF community, and if you could, how would you try to fix it? Who would you partner with (e.g. public figure, organization) to help fix the issue and why?"

Orson Welles once said, “We're born alone, we live alone, we die alone. Only through our love and friendship can we create the illusion for the moment that we're not alone.” Loneliness is one of the greatest unaddressed needs in the CF community. During this time of loneliness, CFers seek hope, hope for this pandemic to be extinguished from this earth. As CFers walk this earth today, it's as if walking on a minefield; making a wrong move or step could vaporize the existence of a CFer. CFers need a community to talk to, others they can relate to. As I live with a constant fear of illness, not trying to make that wrong move, I need someone to relate to. I had a Zoom call with the CF doctors a couple weeks ago, a regular check up, but of course, it wasn’t normal. Having a doctor’s appointment on a Zoom call sure isn’t a regular check up. Overall, we went over what was needed, but what wasn’t addressed was my mental health. According to Cambridge University Press, mental health problems are a clear “analogy to cigarette smoking.” Loneliness is a bargain on mental health. I see many of my friends socialize. I say to myself, I wish. I wish I could go out and socialize with my friends, but during this time of uncertainty, I can’t. We need to build a real CF community to inspire hope, love, and friendship in order to bridge the gap between us.