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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?"

I believe it is possible to live a happy life with Cystic Fibrosis. My whole life, I have heard people antagonize CF and separate it from patients to deem it a significant factor of adversity in our lives, but I personally have never been able to do that. I've never been able to separate CF from myself. Whether I like it or not, CF is intrinsically integrated into who I am, who I've always been, and who I will be. It's not something I can run away from or want to run away from. It's something I've learned to embrace, not with welcome arms but with understanding ones. The countless uncomfortable visits and unexpected surprises that CF continues to bring in my life does not deter my belief in myself. On the contrary, I believe my condition has made me more intune with myself as I've had many opportunities to accumulate evidence of my strength and potential. I hope to empower future generations of young adults with chronic illness by proving that it is worth it to believe in yourself and put trust in your future. Ever since I was three years old, I've wanted to be a doctor. Inspired by the medical professionals around me, I fell in love with the promise that medicine holds and the care that humans can provide. This dream has only been able to foster, however, due to the self-empowerment I've cultivated through my life thus far. I am so grateful to have an older brother who keeps me feeling like a "normal" kid, and parents, family, friends, and care teams who never doubt the feasibility of my dreams. Over the past couple years, as I've taken and fallen in love with molecular biology and genetics, conducted summer research with Oregon Health and Science University, performed the lead role in a musical onstage (despite hospitalizations), and advocated for the creation of new antibiotics to Oregon senators, I realized the only thing getting in the way of achieving my dreams is the fear of CF getting in the way. But I've learned that just like all of these passions are a part of me, my Cystic Fibrosis is too. It will take up its own time and space, but that does not mean that my life is destined to unfold a certain way because of it. As I continue on my long education journey to become a physician one day, I continue with gratitude for all my experiences, especially those regarding my CF, for the empathy they build. I get to choose the way I tell my story, and I choose to learn from the hard, celebrate the good, and appreciate the beauty that is my unique path in this lifetime. I hope to inspire this mindset through my continued advocacy with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, my ongoing education and experiences in healthcare, and one day, as a physician working with children and young adults just like me.