My Great Strides Story
Faith Miller
Faith Miller
Hi, my name is Faith Miller! I was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when I was 9 years old and am now the ripe age of 29!
Since my diagnosis, I have been hospitalized fifteen times, been on home IVs for months on end as a child, and have had multiple surgeries and procedures. My lung capacity baseline used to be around 45% but for about a year and a half, it has dipped down to the low 30s, which has definitely made life a bit more challenging.
While CF has limited me in many ways, I have still found a way to thrive!
I work full-time at Liberty University, my alma mater, in the Accounts Payable department which is funny because I have an arts degree. The Lord definitely has a sense of humor!
When not at work, I spend my time reading, singing, playing piano, and cross-stitching while watching Netflix. I also write stories and then turn some of those stories into full-cast audiobooks with music and sound effects. It's a ton of work, but I really enjoy the process and I have gotten the chance to work with some amazing voice actors from all over the world. You can see my work at "Fanfiction Audio Dramas" on YouTube.
In 2021, I was able to get back onto the stage for the first time in seven years. I auditioned for a local community theater's production of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and to my delight, I was cast as Mrs. Beaver! I ended up acting in and working on four more shows over the next year with the company, and then in July of 2022, I auditioned for a different theater's production of The Mousetrap where I was cast in the leading role of Mollie Ralston. While it was definitely a challenge and I had to keep an inhaler backstage to keep up with the physical demands of the role, it was an amazing moment for me to finally be the lead in a show in spite of everything I deal with when it comes to living with CF.
I haven't been in any major shows since then thanks to my lung function decline, but I did have the chance to participate in a dinner theater production in October of 2024 and earlier that year, I independently directed a virtual production as a CF fundraiser.
In the last couple years, I have focused on making memories. I attend comic-cons frequently, participate in mud runs when I can, go to concerts, and travel.
In December of 2019, I started the incredible new medication, Trikafta. Unfortunately, only a week later, I began to experience a severe allergic reaction and was forced to stop. It was heartbreaking for me and my family, especially because in that week, I had felt a huge difference, but I know that this is not the end. We do not stop until we have a cure for EVERYONE.
Nearly 40,000 people in the United States have cystic fibrosis: a progressive, genetic disease that affects the lungs, pancreas, and other organs. They are moms, dads, sisters, brothers, daughters, sons, and friends who face the sobering prospect of a shortened lifespan. I walk for them.
Working alongside the CF community, the CF Foundation has fostered the development of more than a dozen CF treatments and helped add decades of life for people with CF. Yet, many people with CF do not benefit from existing therapies. Our vision is a cure for every person with cystic fibrosis – a life free from the burden of this disease – and we will not leave anyone behind.
Since my diagnosis, I have been hospitalized fifteen times, been on home IVs for months on end as a child, and have had multiple surgeries and procedures. My lung capacity baseline used to be around 45% but for about a year and a half, it has dipped down to the low 30s, which has definitely made life a bit more challenging.
While CF has limited me in many ways, I have still found a way to thrive!
I work full-time at Liberty University, my alma mater, in the Accounts Payable department which is funny because I have an arts degree. The Lord definitely has a sense of humor!
When not at work, I spend my time reading, singing, playing piano, and cross-stitching while watching Netflix. I also write stories and then turn some of those stories into full-cast audiobooks with music and sound effects. It's a ton of work, but I really enjoy the process and I have gotten the chance to work with some amazing voice actors from all over the world. You can see my work at "Fanfiction Audio Dramas" on YouTube.
In 2021, I was able to get back onto the stage for the first time in seven years. I auditioned for a local community theater's production of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and to my delight, I was cast as Mrs. Beaver! I ended up acting in and working on four more shows over the next year with the company, and then in July of 2022, I auditioned for a different theater's production of The Mousetrap where I was cast in the leading role of Mollie Ralston. While it was definitely a challenge and I had to keep an inhaler backstage to keep up with the physical demands of the role, it was an amazing moment for me to finally be the lead in a show in spite of everything I deal with when it comes to living with CF.
I haven't been in any major shows since then thanks to my lung function decline, but I did have the chance to participate in a dinner theater production in October of 2024 and earlier that year, I independently directed a virtual production as a CF fundraiser.
In the last couple years, I have focused on making memories. I attend comic-cons frequently, participate in mud runs when I can, go to concerts, and travel.
In December of 2019, I started the incredible new medication, Trikafta. Unfortunately, only a week later, I began to experience a severe allergic reaction and was forced to stop. It was heartbreaking for me and my family, especially because in that week, I had felt a huge difference, but I know that this is not the end. We do not stop until we have a cure for EVERYONE.
Nearly 40,000 people in the United States have cystic fibrosis: a progressive, genetic disease that affects the lungs, pancreas, and other organs. They are moms, dads, sisters, brothers, daughters, sons, and friends who face the sobering prospect of a shortened lifespan. I walk for them.
Working alongside the CF community, the CF Foundation has fostered the development of more than a dozen CF treatments and helped add decades of life for people with CF. Yet, many people with CF do not benefit from existing therapies. Our vision is a cure for every person with cystic fibrosis – a life free from the burden of this disease – and we will not leave anyone behind.
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