Jenna Magnuson

My Great Strides Story

In April of 2016, I was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis. This came as a shock to all of us as we did not know my parents were carriers, let alone it runs in the family. I am the first to be diagnosed with CF. Although it is genetic and I had it my whole life, I went undiagnosed for 13 years. We always thought I was just going to be smaller than everyone my age. Little did we know, there was a reason. Life with CF has had many ups and downs. CF for me looks a lot different. I never showed any symptoms of lung infections. I had pancreatitis multiple times which made my doctor do genetic testing for CF. It is very rare to have CF in just your digestive system. In March of 2021, I underwent a 10+ hour surgery to have my pancreas removed and an islet cell transplant. Although recovery was rough and there were many times I felt as if I couldn't push through anymore, I made it. I have a better quality of life. I can do everything I love without having to second guess if I am going to be sick or not. 

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