Meet the 2022 Scholars

"2022 marks the 30th anniversary of the AbbVie CF Scholarship. As we celebrate this milestone, we look forward to continuing to recognize more students pursing their educational goals. Please share your future ambitions in the Cystic Fibrosis community, professionally and personally."

Finding a cure for Cystic Fibrosis has come so far in the past few years. People are living longer, and staying healthy. People with CF are now going to college, and achieving their dreams. I am one of those people. When I was younger my mom put me in gymnastics classes, hoping that it would keep my lungs healthy. One of my first coaches was also diagnosed with CF. She became a role model to me. She showed me that I was as capable as everyone else in making the team, she helped me come up with answers to questions that other kids had about why I had a PICC line in, or why I was missing practice. This coach continues to be important to me and continues to show me how to not let Cystic Fibrosis define me. I am planning on attending Sacred Heart University, and majoring in elementary education and psychology. I want to work with students in a school. Especially the students that may be having a difficult time. I believe that my experience with CF will be helpful. Cystic Fibrosis has helped me to look at the world in a different way. Everyone has something in their life that is hard or different. Some of these things are obvious to see, while others, like CF, maybe more hidden. I have learned not to judge people on what I first see. There could be a hidden reason for why they are doing something, or why they are in a bad mood. They may not feel well or may be stressed with the idea of doing a treatment. You should give everyone the benefit of the doubt since you don’t know what is going on with them. I hope that I can teach the young children that I will be working with these values, and help them to make the world a better and more accepting place for everyone. One of the major parts of my childhood was walking to fundraise to help find a cure for CF. I enjoyed the walks with my friends (one year my gymnastics team walked part of it on our hands). I am looking forward to walking with my new friends in college, and know that we will continue to find ways to support all of the advances that have been made.