Spencer's Spirit

Dear Friends,

Spencer is now 22-years-old and is wrapping up his junior year at NC State University, majoring in psychology.  Grad school is in his future, but he is going to work a year to gain some research and/or hands-on experience.  Last year he had to write an essay regarding living through a global pandemic with a chronic illness.  His response was as follows:

"One cannot expect life during a pandemic to be easy, especially if you have a pre-existing condition.  You cannot control the pandemic and its impact on others; however, there are many ways that you can adjust your lifestyle and come out stronger.  During the start off the pandemic, there was little known about the virus and its effects on people with chronic illnesses, like Cystic Fibrosis.  It can be scary but by taking extra precautions we can gain more control over how the pandemic impacts our health.  Having CF, we have always had to make certain adjustments to our health routines, and living in a pandemic is no different.  This has helped us to persevere no matter what unexpected obstacles we face." 

Spencer continues to display few symptoms of CF since starting Trikafta.  The big news this year is that the average life span for an individual with CF has climbed into the 50s.  Even better news is that Spencer's doctors have told him that he can expect to have a normal life span!!

We are so grateful for our family and friends who have supported our cause year after year after year, donating money to support the research that has led to this significant breakthrough in  treatment.