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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?"

My experience with cystic fibrosis began before I was even born. Complications in the womb led to a ruptured intestine, and I underwent emergency surgery after birth. Throughout early childhood, I was described as "failure to thrive." That label stayed with me for years. Managing CF is a daily responsibility. Missing even a few treatments could lead to serious setbacks, and even with consistency, my health is unpredictable. During my sophomore year, I was hospitalized with a severe bowel obstruction caused by surgical scars from birth. It was a different kind of pain and forced me to confront how quickly my health could decline. After that, I joined my high school track team to maintain my health. At first, I really struggled. During practices, I would cough up mucus which was uncomfortable. My endurance was low and progress felt slow. There were moments when quitting would have been easier. Instead, I kept showing up. CF had already taught me that small, consistent effort leads to improvement. I applied that same principle to training and improved little by little. I also became interested in running statistics. I paid attention to my times and became fiercely competitive. That consistency paid off. Within a year, MileSplit recognized me as one of the most improved high school 800-meter runners in the country. I also qualified for state and open championships in both cross country and track. Those experiences changed how I see limits. That mindset was shaped earlier in my life. I was raised by a single mother who stepped away from her career to manage the medical needs that defined my childhood. Watching her handle that responsibility influenced how I approach life. It showed me that showing up consistently matters more than circumstances and gave me a strong sense of gratitude. That perspective also changed how I see my experiences beyond myself. Living with CF has made me more aware of how uneven access to care can be. I'm very fortunate to have treatments that improve my health, but many people with CF aren't as lucky. I volunteer with a nonprofit connected to my care center that supports awareness and access for underserved patients. That helped me see that my experience is part of something bigger. My journey has shaped the problems I want to solve. I have seen how easy it is for people to feel limited by setbacks or their own thinking. I want to help people move past that and build discipline, confidence, and the ability to keep going when progress is slow. In college, I plan to study areas related to health, performance, and human development so I can better understand how mindset and physical health work together. My goal is to use what I have learned through CF and athletics to help others push past limits they thought were permanent. I was once described as "failure to thrive." Now I measure progress by how consistently I move forward and use that progress to support others.