• Adults​ ​With​ ​CF

  31 Days of CF Travel Aoife

  Posted by Luisa Palazola on May 21, 2019 at 11:18 am

  We recently reached out to Aoife Rafter about her travel adventures, check them out in the link below. We’ve got a couple questions for you:
  Have you ever traveled for an extended period time like this?
  If so, how did you manage your health?

  View this post on Instagram

  Day 18 of 31 Days of CF ⁣ CF and Travel ⁣ ⁣ This is Aoife’s experience: ⁣ ⁣ It all started with a family trip to The Land Down Undah when I was just 13 years old. There was something about the energy in Sydney. Coming from my little hometown of Naas (in Ireland), Sydney was electric to me. There were tons of people from all corners of the world in the city. I was mesmerized. But I truly fell in love with Australia when we journeyed up the stunning East Coast and met true Aussies. Tanned, lean, shaggy/beach haired girls and guys carrying surfboards or skateboarding around the towns! Everyone was just so active all of the time. And why wouldn't they be? Beautiful local beaches scattered everywhere, steep stunning bush hikes with breathtaking views.. it was my ultimate dreamland! I knew this place was somewhere that I would return to and explore as an adult, CF or no CF, NOTHING was going to stop me!!⁣ ⁣ However, just 2 months before I was due to return to Australia as a 25 year old woman, I got REALLY sick. Despite my new found healthy routine of doing personal training 2-3 times a week, I had caught a nasty infection that led to my first admission in 4 years. I was petrified. Was this a sign? I began to reconsider all of my travel plans out of pure fear. Should I shorten my trip? What if I get sick abroad? This illness was trying to do what it loves to do best -stop me from living a normal life. Then I thought, ah-nah! I have trained too dang hard with my PT, planned a range of activities, fundraised for a Skydive for CF upon my arrival in Australia and got my hopes up far too high to just give up on my life long dream of backpacking around Australia! ⁣ ⁣ So long story short, here I am at 27 years of age on my 2nd Year Working Holiday Visa, writing this piece from my apartment in Bondi Beach. Pinch me! Yes CF tries to scare the absolute 💩 out of us at times, but don't let it! My biggest fear in life is not living my life to the fullest. Take control of that fear that CF brings, for fear does not prevent death, it prevents life!! Follow me at @holdontoyourkite_irl to keep up with my travel plans to take on New Zealand, Bali, Western Australia and maybe more 😏⁣

  A post shared by CFNewsToday (@cfnewstoday) on May 18, 2019 at 12:42pm PDT

  Luisa Palazola replied 6 years, 1 month ago 1 Member · 0 Replies

  • abroad
  • australia
  • chronic illness
  • conquer
  • cystic fibrosis
  • fear
  • sickness
  • Tags: travel
  • travel life
  • warrior
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