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?"

From a young age, I was drawn to the field of medicine as the vast exposure to medical knowledge and extensive time spent with medical professionals undoubtedly piqued my interest. However, I never believed I would be able to pursue this fascination due to my disease. As I grew older, the passion I had for the field flourished and I began to feel increasingly discouraged; I would never be able to do what I wanted to do. At a clinic appointment one day, I shared these feelings with my providers and to my dismay, they told me quite the opposite. They told me that pursuing this passion was not impossible; I felt that this was the defining moment in my CF journey. Growing up with CF encompassed many challenges and uncertainties; that is to be expected living with a chronic illness. It was oftentimes hard to maintain a positive mindset when the uncertainty of my health and future continuously weighed on me. It felt that I was in a constant state of dissonance; as much as I wanted to feel confident and proud of myself, the shame and anger I held towards my condition was all consuming. Between the treatments, hospitalizations, and prying questions from my peers, I was ashamed. As I was questioned about my frequent absences or distinct scars, I stumbled upon my words, failing to come up with an answer. All I wanted was to be 'normal', but to me, that was not possible living with CF. Learning that my disease would not limit my future aspirations transformed my mindset and provided me with the sense of normalcy I so badly desired. Most importantly, I was offered a consistent, stable element of my future to hold onto during such an ambiguous time. This allowed my confidence to flourish which in turn, inspired me to pursue opportunities that would allow my dream to become reality; it gave me hope. The hope instilled in me by my providers has been the unwavering element upon which I have relied on throughout my CF journey. The complexity of the emotions that accompany this disease require a tremendous amount of both physical and mental strength; this has led me to truly understand the power of a positive, driven mindset. Instead of succumbing to the 'what ifs', I make a conscious effort to focus on the excitement that my future holds. Hope reminds me that it will get better eventually whether that be today, tomorrow, or years from now. As I reflect on my journey, I now recognize the faults in my previous perspective; the 'normal' I once wished for, overlooked the beauty of individuality. The encouragement from my providers to pursue my passions marked the turning point that ultimately granted me the ability to wholeheartedly embrace my CF. Cystic Fibrosis has provided me with a unique insight into how I have the opportunity to make a positive impact in the lives of others as a Physician Assistant.