Walking for My Niece, Walking for a Cure

This year, I’m proud to join Ava’s Fight For A Cure team and participate in the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Xtreme Hike.

I’m not walking because I have Cystic Fibrosis—I’m walking because someone I love does.

As Ava’s aunt, I’ve watched her face challenges that most people will never experience. Diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis before she was even born, she has spent her life balancing treatments, medications, hospitalizations, and the daily demands of a disease that never takes a day off. Through it all, she has continued to pursue her dreams with incredible determination, earning her degree, attending graduate school, working full-time, and refusing to let CF define her.

I’m also walking for her sister, Maddie, who has faced many of those same challenges with incredible strength. Today, she’s an amazing mother to the sweetest little girl, and watching her embrace motherhood has been such a gift. Seeing her build a beautiful life while managing the daily realities of Cystic Fibrosis is a powerful reminder of how far CF care has come—and why continued research is so important. Her journey gives our family hope and reinforces why we keep fighting for an even brighter future.

Joining this hike is my way of standing beside them—not just in words, but in action. Every mile I walk is for Ava, for Maddie, for our family, and for every person living with Cystic Fibrosis. Every dollar raised helps fund lifesaving research, better treatments, and brings us closer to the day when CF truly stands for Cure Found.

If you’re able, I would be incredibly grateful for your support. Whether you donate, share my page, or simply cheer us on, you’re helping make a difference for families like ours.

Thank you for helping me support Ava, Maddie, and the fight for a future without Cystic Fibrosis.