It’s year 22! As Kyra’s Klan we’ve raised over $300,000 since I was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at one month old and my family and our friends started fundraising and walking at the Great Strides Walk in Minneapolis. 

For those who are interested, I’ll provide a quick update on my health: 

Since last fall, I’ve been able to get through a couple respiratory infections with antibiotics and managed to stay out of the hospital, which felt like a win after last year’s hospital stay due to pneumonia. Unfortunately, I’ve been dealing with a bad ulcerative colitis flare up the last two months and ended up being admitted for inpatient treatment for six days at M Health Fairview's U of M Hospital. UC is an autoimmune condition I was diagnosed with about 6 years ago that I had well under control until this flare up. My body is worn down right now from fighting this inflammation for so long, and it’s going to take some effort to get back up to 100%, but I’m hopeful after the hospital treatments and the addition of a new medication!

I'm grateful that new CF treatments have allowed me to keep it under control so well, and that research is only possible because of the CF Foundation, and because of donors like you. 

And a personal update: I’ll be graduating from the University of Minnesota in mid-May with two degrees (Marketing from Carlson School of Management and Journalism from the College of Liberal Arts), and have really had a great senior year! To answer the next question you will likely have, nope, I don’t have a job yet (and am going to take a much-needed break after graduation), but I am looking into positions in sports media.  

I would love to have your support as a donor, walker and/or fundraiser. If you are able, please consider making a donation, or better yet - join Kyra’s Klan as a fundraising walker and join us on Saturday, May 2nd at 10:00am at Bde Maka Ska. I’d love to see you and celebrate all of us with CF and all that the CF Foundation has done and continues to do for us!