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"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?"

Much of my life and my journey with cystic fibrosis has been shaped by the positive influence of my parents, family, friends, and CF care team. They have celebrated with me through the good times and have stuck with me through the hard times and the moments when I've doubted my direction and purpose in life. They have helped me discover my interests and abilities and have been there for me when I've tried new things and failed miserably. They've supported me as I've grown from a little kid to a graduate student pursuing her career goal of being a registered dietitian. Even my career goal was inspired by the outstanding care and support I received from the dietitian on my CF team, and I have been inspired to give back to the communities that have so greatly influenced my life. I am hopeful that my career as a registered dietitian will allow me to inspire and empower future generations of young adults with chronic illnesses. I aspire to work with children or adolescents, and in the field of nutrition, this will involve working with individuals who struggle with chronic conditions. One way I hope to empower my future clients is through teaching them to advocate for themselves. Self-advocacy is a skill that has benefited me greatly as it was drilled into me by my CF team from an early age. I have been able to openly and confidently share with others about my experience with CF, my needs, and how they can best support me. I also hope that I can be a strong example of what it means to serve and love others. I hope these values will be clearly displayed through the way that I interact with my clients, and that they will be inspired to carry this model forward in their own lives. I also hope that I will have opportunities to share some of my own story with my future clients. Especially in young adulthood, there is an ongoing struggle to figure out what your purpose is in life, what path you want to be on, and how you are going to get there -- and it can be so overwhelming. When you add in the factor of chronic illness, there are even more uncertainties to wrestle with. I want this next generation of young adults to know that they do not walk this path alone. I hope to guide them in seeking out the support and the resources they need, and to empower them as they navigate periods of transition in their lives. I believe that each person has a purpose and unique abilities to share with the world, and I hope to remind my future clients of this. Finally, I want them to know that their chronic illness does not have to hold them back from striving toward their goals or from using their abilities to inspire the communities around them.