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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?"

Living with Cystic Fibrosis has shaped not only how I see the world, but also the problems I feel called to solve throughout my life. Growing up, I spent much time navigating my treatments, hospital visits, and the uncertainty that comes with having a chronic illness. These experiences throughout my life have exposed me firsthand to the gaps that exist in healthcare such as times when communication could have been clearer, more emotional support was needed, and when patients desired to have someone who truly understood what they were going through. Rather than discouraging me, these challenges have become the foundation for my purpose in life while pursuing a career to become a nurse. Most recently, I spent two weeks hospitalized, where I was once again exposed to the ongoing challenges that are so common within the healthcare setting. This experience further reminded me of why I chose to pursue nursing and the kind of impact I hope to have on my future patients. During my hospital stay, I was especially influenced by one of the nurses who cared for me. She demonstrated the exact qualities I hope to embody in my own practice including compassion, attentiveness, and having a genuine commitment to treating the whole person and not just the illness itself. She made not only me, but also my family, feel seen and supported during a time that could have easily felt very overwhelming. She took the extra time to answer our questions thoroughly, she checked in with me beyond just doing specific tasks, and created a sense of comfort while working through a stressful time. Through her actions, she showed me that it is possible to fill the gaps in healthcare that often go unnoticed and further pushed me to strive to become someone who fills those gaps as well. Because of my own journey with cystic fibrosis and what I have overcome throughout my life, I want my patients to know that I understand what they are going through on a deeper level. I know what it feels like to be in their position when there is much uncertainty, when you feel vulnerable, and are just searching for reassurance from others. My goal as a nurse is to be someone who stands by my patients every step of the way, not just as someone who is a part of their healthcare team, but as someone who is an advocate and source of strength for them through these very vulnerable times. I want to make sure that they never feel alone in their experience, and I want them to know that their voice matters just as much as their diagnosis.