It was October of 2016 and we had just finished our 17th Wish for Wendy softball challenge and while we raised a lot of money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, something else very important happened. That year I started posting about people that I knew with cystic fibrosis on Facebook and many of those posts were getting hundreds of shares and comments. It occurred to me that all the posts were very positive but also told real stories of people who fought to get where they were.
Andrea (my wife) suggested I write a book about these people. I had never written a nonfiction book about anyone but myself.
After giving it some thought, I decided to write 10 interview questions and send them out via social media, e-mail, Skype, etc. I picked this method of delivery because individuals with CF are advised not to get within six feet of others due to bacterial cross-contamination.
I interviewed people from over 20 countries and the toughest part was choosing which stories to use. To help me decide, I enlisted a committee of people who did not have CF to choose what stories to share in this first edition. (Notice I said this edition because my hope is to write as the movement grows). The selection process was extremely difficult for all of us.
What transpired over nearly three years is a book I titled The CF Warrior Projectbecause that’s what it was…a project. I went into it not knowing if the book would come to anything. I could have published more than 300 stories but it turns out I was only given leeway to use 50 per the publisher. I was able to negotiate and get them to take 65 due to the significance of the number in the CF world with regards to 65 roses.
During this time when I discovered that the last remaining son of Mary Weiss, Anthony. (not sure who this is read more here) I thought all three of her children had passed but Anthony was still alive and it was such a pleasure interviewing him. I chose him to write the foreword. I also found celebrities and CF advocates who I wanted to write endorsements and nearly every one of them said “yes.” I still cannot believe it.
So now the book is available on Amazon. The toughest part is over. The rewarding part is now to come. The CF Warrior Project is focused on helping raising funds for CF charities, but more importantly raising hope in the CF community and explaining to people outside of the CF community what a CF Warrior truly is.
So that’s my story. Please check out the book on Amazon today. The reviews so far have been overly positive. Thank you everyone and thank you Facebook for revealing how much we needed to hear about the CF warrior.
Live your dreams and love your life.
Andy