A Giant Win After a Big Loss
After a monstrous letdown, we need a win. Those of us with chronic illness need reminders to keep on keeping on. The glimmer of hope for better days is necessary to move forward.
Valiant Voice — Lara Govendo
Lara Govendo resides in Vermont as a wild, adventurous lady who also happens to be a licensed clinical professional counselor. She dives deep into controversial topics by talking about her own struggles to help others feel less alone, educate about all aspects of health, and encourage others that there’s always hope. Thanks to her double-lung transplant in 2017 due to cystic fibrosis, you can now find Lara ministering about Jesus, exploring the glorious outdoors with her husband, and belly laughing with people around the planet. She can be reached on her website at www.hungry4hopeconsulting.com.
Featured Post
Thank you to my nurses, the real MVPs of CF and transplant care
Nurses save lives. It might sound dramatic, but it’s true. Throughout my journey with cystic fibrosis (CF) and a double-lung transplant nearly eight years ago, I’ve encountered nurses in every season of…
Read more
Plan A Didn’t Work — Now What?
I open my eyes, and the walls around me blur like a mirage. I whisper through my post-intubated raw throat: “Did it work?” My nurse replies: “No, they weren’t able to fix…
I Don’t Always Wear the Badge of Bravery
In my previous life (pre-double-lung transplant) I was the bravest I’ve ever been. Before my transplant, the most important piece of my identity was bravery. I was brave in the face of death…
I’m No Longer Resisting a Rest
Earn your rest. Earn self-care. Earn taking care of yourself. The list is endless for the unrealistic standards forced on us by society. The United States is driven by an obsession with productivity levels.
How I Regained My Independence During the Pandemic
As restrictions from COVID-19 lift ’round these parts, my urge to get back to business as usual has intensified. I’m lucky to live in a state that’s been less affected, so I dared…
Let’s Unite to Ditch the Charade of ‘I’m Fine’
Confusion over how we “should” react to suffering wreaks havoc in the mind, often triggering a shame response. We so often utter the words, “I’m fine,” though that performative response is far from the…
The Story Behind Awareness
Each time I meet someone new, CF pours from my mouth. It has become impossible to negate that intricate piece of who I am. Cystic fibrosis isn’t my whole life, but it has evolved…
The Counseling Connection
Despite battling chronic illness, I managed to stumble through six years of college. Obtaining my master’s degree in mental health and school counseling was a herculean feat. But I didn’t power through it…
The Transformation of Transplantation
In spring 2015 I began journeying toward a challenge I hadn’t known would come to fruition so quickly: lung transplantation. Concerned for my life, my care team had labeled my cystic fibrosis “unmanageable.”…
Hanging by a Hope During the Coronavirus Crisis
The invisible killer is nothing new. Something that can’t be contained? I feel that. Not knowing if or when it will hit you? Every. Single. Day. Cystic fibrosis is a monster. And so is…
Welcome to ‘Valiant Voice,’ a New Column About Life with CF
As a new columnist for Cystic Fibrosis News Today, I am honored to join a team of radically talented writers! My name is Lara, and most people call me “LAR-ah.” Many mistakenly call…
Your CF Community
Visit the Cystic Fibrosis News Today forums to connect with others in the CF community.
