Valiant Voice – a Column by Lara Govendo

I learned about the notion of bodily autonomy from a dear friend who, like me, has cystic fibrosis (CF). Before, I’d been oblivious about the subject; it hadn’t occurred to me that it was even a topic for consideration. I’ve now dived deep into this matter, and it’s spurred…

What is cystic fibrosis (CF)? I get asked this question on the regular. My automatic response is: Please don’t search it online. No, really. Just don’t. I equate searching CF online to looking up your symptoms when you’re sick: Both typically result in death. (That’s dark humor.) But truly,…

Since my double-lung transplant seven years ago, I’ve struggled with breathlessness during exercise. I was used to this symptom while living with cystic fibrosis (CF) lungs, but I didn’t expect to deal with it post-transplant. It’s been frustrating that I can’t use my healthy lungs in the capacity that…

Over the years, I’ve had many experiences with disability accommodations, for better or for worse. I was born with cystic fibrosis (CF) and have had health challenges my entire life. After my double-lung transplant seven years ago, my health improved in some areas and declined in others. But one…

I might look like I have it all together, but right now, my belly aches, my brain is foggy, and I can’t seem to focus long enough to write this column. From the outside, I look incredible. I’m not bragging, I get this comment a lot. On the surface,…

Something specific to the cystic fibrosis (CF) world is how we talk and the words we say. After living with CF my whole life, I’ve gained insight into our speech compared with that of the able-bodied world. That awareness dramatically grew after my double-lung transplant seven years…

It feels surreal that I had a double-lung transplant seven years ago. The season of life leading up to my transplant is still present in my mind as I reflect on what I went through physically and emotionally. Going through the transplant process was traumatic. Today, I continue to…

Living with cystic fibrosis (CF) and having a double-lung transplant six years ago has naturally solicited some internal rumbling regarding my own mortality. When I joined the chronic illness community a decade ago, I didn’t expect that the friends I had made would die so soon.

After my double-lung transplant six years ago, I struggled to exercise. I was breathless and had symptoms of hypoxia, or low oxygen, which didn’t make sense given that I’d just had my cystic fibrosis lungs removed. Tests showed that my new lungs were healthy, so why couldn’t…

Disabilities typically don’t go hand in hand with celebrations. In fact, messages from the able-bodied have told me my whole life that I should hide the part of me that’s significantly affected who I am today: my disability. As we celebrate Disability Pride Month, I’d like to explain how…