Meet the 2024 Scholars

"Describe a defining moment in your journey with CF that sparked personal growth or resilience. How did this experience affect you and what did you learn from this moment?"

When I was a day old I was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis. I had a meconium ileus and had emergency surgery where the doctors removed a third of my small intestine. I was in the NICU for two months to recover since then I have been battling living with CF. Throughout my life, I was tested with many different trials. When I was four years old I became sick and was hospitalized due to my CF. When I was nine I fell off my dirt bike where I received two knee surgeries, a year of physical therapy, and a little over two years to recover. I then started to experience joint pain, and after many doctor visits and a trip to the Mayo Clinic, I was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis arthritis. At the time I was struggling with my arthritis, I began getting allergic reactions so I visited a doctor to find out I was allergic to many different foods. In April 2016 I started doing daily injections due to my growth hormone deficiency. My daily shots lasted until March of 2022, resulting in me doing roughly around 1,900 shots. On top of all these trials, I was still living with CF and doing two thirty-minute breathing treatments daily, taking my pills, going to many doctor appointments, going to school, participating in sports, going to church, and building relationships with friends. My life looked very different compared to my friends and family. It was very discouraging at the time, but through it all I remained positive despite all the negatives. Overall, the trials shaped me to be the person I am today. I have learned to be thankful for what I have, don't take anything for granted, be a hard worker, never give up, see the good in different circumstances, and always trust in the Lord. My journey with CF has never been easy, but it has overall made me a stronger person and is a great reminder to live life to the fullest.