Jennifer Bleecher, diagnosed with cystic fibrosis in her first few days of life, has been defying the odds of her disease for the majority of her life. She has a daughter, worked as a nurse for 20 years, and then received the gift of life through a bilateral lung transplant in 2020 during the pandemic. Jennifer is the self-published author of a children’s picture book, “The Friendship Umbrella,” which teaches about being kind, helping others, and appreciating each other’s differences. Jennifer loves dogs and music, has a strong faith in God, and has always chosen to count her blessings instead of her struggles.
I’ll never forget my daughter’s college graduation — not because I was there cheering in the audience, but because I wasn’t. Instead of watching her walk across the stage in person, I was watching…
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The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines identity as “the distinguishing character or personality of an individual.” Having a genetic, progressive, and life-shortening disease such as cystic fibrosis (CF) can consume a large part of…
We all know that exercise plays an important role in physical and mental health. But as someone with cystic fibrosis (CF), I believe that exercise is as vital as the medicines I…
They say hindsight is 20/20. Now that I’m in my 50s, I can reflect on my younger years and realize that I was trying to do too much. I was spinning all of the…
A long list of medical conditions can be considered invisible because others can’t see their effects. Those of us living with cystic fibrosis (CF) understand the idea well since we commonly hear…
In 2014, when my daughter was entering her freshman year of college, I watched a segment of the TV news program “60 Minutes” that changed my life. In the segment, presenter Anderson Cooper…
Labor Day weekend means many things. It celebrates the achievements of the American worker while also marking the end of summer vacation and the start of a new school year. And to me, it’s…
Having two rare mutations that cause my cystic fibrosis (CF) has been a small blessing for me. It’s true that I’m unable to participate in many clinical trials that might have…
In 1994, I was 24 years old and engaged to be married. My health was good despite my cystic fibrosis (CF). My doctor hadn’t mentioned anything about family planning, so I decided…
My mother was recently cleaning out her attic, trying out the minimalist technique she’d seen on a Netflix show. In the process of deciding which items still bring her joy, she gathered a bag…
As a new columnist for Cystic Fibrosis News Today, I welcome you to “Living Beyond.” I come from a time when the life expectancy for someone born with cystic fibrosis…
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