Meet the 2021 Scholars

"Living through a global pandemic with a chronic illness, what is one piece of inspirational advice that you would give to other students with CF who are in the same or similar position?"

Living through a global pandemic with a chronic illness is an event that I never imagined I would experience. However, this experience has taught me more than I could have ever imagined and made me appreciate my life and the things I take for granted. One piece of inspirational advice I would give to others that struggle with health concerns, especially during these incredibly difficult times, is to never take a moment for granted. When the global pandemic first hit, I would walk through the local stores, trying my best to take care of my health, always with that looming thought and concern that it may be the last. However, as I continued throughout the pandemic, the more I learned to appreciate and make the most of the life that I had. I learned how to enjoy myself, how to make memories that will last, and how to live my life to the fullest, all while being able to stay healthy and safe. It is not every day that we get the chance to step back and recognize the hidden blessings we have in life, or experience some of our hardest times, but the best way to get through it is to embrace the good times and accentuate the wonderful memories we are able to make with family and close friends. Just like One Republic sang in one of my favorite songs, “I Lived”, we can “own every second that this world can give” and live life to the fullest.