From my niece directly:

"When I was born, the average life expectancy for someone with CF was just 13 years old. That’s middle school. Growing up, I spent a lot of time in and out of the hospital. I did two breathing treatments a day, each about an hour, took 30 to 40 pills daily, and watched friends undergo lung transplants or, unfortunately, pass away far too young. My lung function dropped as low as 56%. I lived with a constant fear of time running out. If you want to know what it feels like to have low lung function, try breathing through a straw. That’s what it feels like to breathe on a daily basis with CF.

In 2019, everything changed and many of my prayers were answered. A new medication called Trikafta was approved. Within weeks of starting it, my lung function jumped 38%, eventually reaching 106%, the highest it’s ever been. For the first time, I could breathe freely. And because of that, I was able to do something I never thought possible: I became a mom. Today, my husband and I have two healthy kids, Liam, age 5 and Lucy, age 3, and because of the kindness of donors like you, they have a healthy mom. Your donations have helped the advances in treatment which have increased the average life expectancy for people with CF. It is now 65. But our mission isn’t over. Trikafta, unfortunately, doesn’t work for everyone, about 10% of people with CF still don’t have a treatment that works for their mutation.

If you ever wonder whether your donation makes a difference I am here to tell you, it does. I’m living, breathing proof that it does! You’ve changed my life! Together, we can keep pushing forward until CF stands for Cure Found."