Voting Is Now OPEN

"Consider the positive influence you aspire to have as someone living with cystic fibrosis. How do you hope to inspire and empower future generations of young adults with chronic illnesses?"

Living with Cystic Fibrosis means carrying a burden you never asked for, but it also means carrying the power to show others what's possible. The positive influence I aspire to have isn't about overcoming CF in silence. It's about living visibly, boldly, and with the hope that someone watching will find strength they didn't know they had. When I was in sixth grade, I invited my class to participate in the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's Great Strides walk. Only one person from my class came, my teacher. Not only did he show up, but he brought his entire family. As a kid with CF, it made me feel incredibly cared for and seen in a way that few other moments have. Several years later, he reached out to my dad: his child had just been diagnosed with CF. In that moment of fear and uncertainty, he remembered us. My dad was able to give my teacher hope not only for the future of his children, but also for the future of his ability to take care of his children with a long-term illness. He confidently and truthfully said, "My kid isn't sick. You're going to be okay." That moment, where fear met hope, where one family lit the path for another, is everything I could ever hope to be for others. I've realized that my life can offer that kind of light to others, especially young people with chronic illnesses who might be questioning what they can or can't do. I want to be someone they can look to and find solace, not because CF is easy, but because it's not the end. In fact, it can be the beginning of something incredible. I've scaled not just metaphorical, but literal mountains in the case of Mt. Hood. I've raced cross-country mountain bikes, competed in triathlons, and I teach others how to swim. I've learned that CF doesn't limit me; it pushes me. Every breath is earned, and every achievement feels that much deeper. I want to show the next generation that their diagnosis doesn't define their ceiling. If anything, it raises the floor beneath their feet. They don't just have to do what I've done; they can go further, and with every new advancement, they are able to go that much faster, further, and stronger into the next challenge. My story isn't just about surviving CF; it's about transforming it into a source of motivation, purpose, and connection. Whether it's a student, a teammate, a fellow patient, or someone quietly struggling, I want them to see in me the message that was once given to my teacher: You're going to be okay. More than that, you're going to thrive.