It started with a cough. Not a normal cough, but a deeper, I-can’t-catch-my-breath kind of cough. That was it—she couldn’t catch her breath. It was escaping her.
When I met Katharine, I didn’t know that she was sick. I didn’t know that she’s battling a disease that, based on statistics, will likely take her life. She’s beautiful, well-read, fashionable, kind, and intelligent. She has the best accessories, functions better with coffee, and gets affection aggression around cute puppies.
But Google “cystic fibrosis.” You’ll see what’s happening on the inside. Her lungs fill with thick mucus, which easily traps bacteria. She’s fighting a silent battle.
It’s a lonely disease. CF patients can pass bacteria, so they cannot be in proximity of each other. It’s called an orphan disease because there is no government funding. That means that the government puts no money toward making her quality of life better. Toward curing it.
That’s not acceptable. There’s no funding for a disease with an average life expectancy of 41? No, Katharine’s just turning 30. So we’re taking this head on. We’re insisting on not 10, not 20, but 30 more.
Katharine is striving to raise $15,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in honor of her 30th birthday. If you can join, please visit her fundraising site—for me. For 30 more years with my friend.
RLB Ink. 