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"How has your journey with CF shaped the problems you want to solve and the impact you hope to have on others?"

In 5th grade when the fire alarm began to ring one day, I didn't leap out of my seat with excitement like every other 10 year old in the room. Instead, I was frustrated that this fire drill interrupted me from my class. When I began to line up to exit the building, as per our school's protocol, I instinctively grabbed my water bottle, and the pouch attached to it containing my inhaler. All of my life, I have been learning how to care for my Cystic Fibrosis including having water and an inhaler with me at all times. In fact, I had become so attached to my inhaler, that the bear-shaped fuzzy pouch I kept it in quickly acquired a name- "Rosie", a nod to the common nickname for CF, 65 Roses. Previous teachers were careful to ensure that I always had "Rosie" and my water bottle with me, but this time the substitute teacher in charge of our class, unaware of my medical needs, told me to put my water down and leave it in the classroom; This was the first time I was ever required to justify my needs to someone of authority. From then on, "Rosie" and I tagged alongside my mom each and every time she attended a meeting with my teachers or principals on the matter. My health often dictated whether or not I could go on a school field trip, or attend my grade's field days, and while I used to resent not being able to participate in these activities, I began to look forward to the days in which I could go into my mom's office with her instead. I became so comfortable watching my mom defend and fight for kids with disabilities, just like me, that I was propelled to no longer be afraid to do so myself. Since that moment, I have continued to mirror my mom's work in my own realm, advocating for myself and others in my community. I began with a small step; giving the presentation about my symptoms and needs to my gymnastics coaches and teammates, using what I had memorized from years of hearing my mom share it. This evolved into presenting all about my disease and its complications to 20 of my classmates in AP Biology. These simple milestones eventually morphed into larger platforms; signing NIL deals as a college gymnast, using social media to inspire other athletes with Cystic Fibrosis. Eventually, I lost "Rosie," but by then I was able to speak up for myself. I no longer had to hide behind her fluffy ears when these situations arose, instead this blossomed into a passion for advocating for others. This would be a surprise to my younger self, however it is where I feel I have purpose. Having Cystic Fibrosis comes with challenges, but it has also allowed my interests to evolve and expand into my future as an attorney standing beside those facing challenges like my 10 year old self.