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."

Commitment to the Cystic Fibrosis community is lifelong for those of us afflicted by the disease. Each time we do our breathing treatments, take our pills, or visit the doctor’s office, we are constantly reminded of and partaking in it. This community extends beyond just patients, however. The parents who have cared for us, the doctors who have treated us, the scientists who have developed our medications, and many more are all a part of this thriving minority. I have grown up with so much support from all these people around me, even if they don’t realize it or know me. Now in college, I feel a personal obligation to support the next generation of cystic fibrosis patients. For many patients in the CF community, including myself, previously unimaginable treatments like CFTR modulators have brought us closer to a cure than ever before. Others, however, have not been as lucky. With gaps in treatments due to genetic incompatibility or intolerance to medication, there have unfortunately been some patients that feel overlooked or hopeless. To further my involvement in the Cystic Fibrosis community professionally, I feel a duty to bridge the gaps in treatment for those who have not yet had the opportunity to experience the miracle of these new medications. By furthering my education in Chemical Engineering at the University of Kentucky, I plan to learn the skills necessary to begin a career in the biotech industry. I have always been inclined towards science, and given my experience with Cystic Fibrosis, I have both the passion and motivation to help develop the next phase of life-changing treatments. New breakthroughs in treatments, especially relating to genetic therapy, are an amazing frontier that I hope to help explore. While furthering developments for the CF community in the professional sphere, I also hope to educate those that I interact with in my daily personal life. Each day, I hope to show others that Cystic Fibrosis is not the death sentence that it once was. When people ask about my life with CF, I make sure not to make it seem easy, but to always educate them about the new medications and treatments that are extending our lifespan each day. Overcoming difficulties with my personal battle with CF has also prepared me to help others struggling to maintain a positive outlook. Even without CF, anxiety and depression are a difficult enough battle. I understand what it’s like to feel defeated, but through example I aim to show others that the fear and doubt is only temporary. In both my personal and professional life, I will help make others feel as strong as they can, physically and mentally.