The Importance of Hope – life with cystic fibrosis

Spreading hope to others with cystic fibrosis is so important to me and why I started the CF Warrior Project.

Growing up with cystic fibrosis, a childhood disease with a median life expectancy in the twenties, I didn’t see or feel a lot of hope. I cried a lot and lived in fear of my future or lack thereof. It took me years to find hope and I did it through hard work and telling stories about those who were able to find hope despite dire circumstances.

Watching the news every night, I’m inundated with tons of stories of why our world is so doomed. Some of the stories are so dreadful it makes it tough to watch. Then there are statistics like my pulmonary function numbers. I feel these statistics are trying to measure me and predict how long I am going to live. Why can’t we just stay positive and live one day at a time? What if we all thought that way? Could we turn this world around? I believe so. The reason I write what I write is because I want to offer something people with cystic fibrosis weren’t offered for decades: Hope!

My goal is to show the world there is something positive about cystic fibrosis besides the sweat test first diagnosing us with it. I want to live in a world where we turn on the television set and there’s a story about someone who defied the odds and is kicking ass. I want to see someone making a difference for others. It does happen. Those stories, though, are rarely shown because they don’t sell.

My goal with The CF Warrior Project is evoking hope by telling stories of those who are living their lives and defying the odds. Sixty-five amazing stories this time around and another batch of stories for the next book are currently being amassed. Let’s live in a world where hope prevails.

Live your dreams and love your life.

Andy