Columns

3 Ways Fear and Anxiety Shaped How I Cope

Growing up with a chronic illness like cystic fibrosis has always bordered on terrifying, which is something I hadn’t quite come to terms with until recently. How does a kid respond to concepts of mortality and suffering, anyway? Parents of kids with CF often…

The Scenes in ‘Five Feet Apart’ that Tore My Heart

Heard enough about “Five Feet Apart” yet? I know you’re begging to read just one more piece about it, right? I saw the movie about a week after its release and wasn’t planning to write about it. Certainly not about how ethically (and cinematically) good or bad the…

I Work Next to CF Experts, and I Know They Really Care

For nearly three years, I’ve worked alongside brilliant CF doctors, scientists, and PhDs at a great research hospital. Before that, during college, I worked closely with CF scientists and PhDs at the University of Kentucky. All in all, I have about five years of experience in CF science.

Lying Is Good for My Health

I am a liar. OK, not in a bad way. As an actual profession, I am a liar. As a professional dancer, it’s my job to “lie” to the audience in show after show by transforming into an entirely different character.

How We Capitalize on ‘Five Feet Apart’

The CF community’s strength is in its powerful, far-spread voice. For people with a chronic disease, and doubly so when that chronic disease is rare like CF, it is critical for the community to be involved and educated. The CF community is exactly that. When a perfect storm…

The Isolation of Self-employment Is Worse with CF

Loneliness is a killer. It’s perhaps not something those of us with life-limiting physical conditions spend much time thinking about. But the statistics are convincing. In the U.K., women aged 18-24 are at high risk of loneliness. Those suffering from loneliness are more likely…