2026 $5,000 Scholarship Award: Serena S.
Serena S. is a sophomore at Bowling Green State University, majoring in Inclusive Early Childhood Education, with aspirations of becoming an elementary teacher in Ohio. She has a particular passion for teaching first and second grade. Inspired by her family and the CF care team, as well as her own experiences living with cystic fibrosis, Serena is dedicated to creating safe, nurturing classrooms where every student feels supported, valued, and empowered. In pursuit of her academic goals, she plans to further her education with a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction and a gifted education endorsement, thereby enhancing her credentials for potential scholarship awards.
As a devoted advocate for the cystic fibrosis community and individuals whose voices are often overlooked, Serena has participated in initiatives like the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Teen Advocacy Day and completed an internship on Capitol Hill. During these experiences, she engaged with members of Congress to discuss critical issues such as affordable healthcare, research funding, and inclusion. These opportunities have bolstered her confidence and solidified her commitment to being a lifelong advocate—not only for the CF community but also for her future students and others in need of support, highlighting her impressive student achievements.
2026 $3,000 Scholarship Award: Nancy O.
Living with cystic fibrosis has profoundly shaped Nancy’s life, cultivating her resilience, purpose, and determination. After years of unexplained symptoms, she received a diagnosis at age fourteen following a life-threatening health crisis. The right care transformed her health, emphasizing the importance of accurate diagnosis and compassionate healthcare. Her childhood in Mexico, the unwavering support of her family, and her move to the United States at age eleven have bolstered her adaptability, independence, and connection to her culture.
Today, Nancy balances daily treatments with her studies and work while pursuing a career in Health Information Management. She aims to earn her Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) and medical coding credentials, aspiring for a flexible remote or hybrid career that accommodates both her health and professional goals. Nancy’s journey with cystic fibrosis is an integral part of her story; it inspires her to keep learning, prioritize self-care, achieve her student achievements, and pursue scholarship awards. Ultimately, she seeks to build a brighter future with her partner and make a positive impact in the healthcare field.
2026 $2,000 Scholarship Award: Alexa H.
Alexa has found that living with cystic fibrosis often means managing an invisible illness publicly while handling treatments privately, a tension that has grown harder in college. Yet the defining triumph came when, after her training faltered and she nearly gave up her registration for a 5K race, she stood at the starting line and felt an unexpected surge of energy and motivation. She ran the entire race—proving that despite her cystic fibrosis, she can achieve anything she sets her mind to. This experience has inspired plans for her to tackle a 10K the following year.
While pursuing a PharmD degree with the steady support of close friends, she refuses to let the disease define her, choosing instead to live with gratitude for every relationship and opportunity. With aspirations for scholarship awards recognizing her resilience, she faces the future ready for whatever it brings.
She feels she has so much life left to live and plans to treasure every moment. Reflecting on the past year, she realizes she never could have guessed the hardships and blessings she encountered. The lessons learned during this time have shown her that she is prepared for whatever life has to throw at her, celebrating her student achievements along the way.
2025 $5,000 Scholarship Award: Grace L.
Cystic Fibrosis has significantly shaped Grace’s life—physically, mentally, and socially—but its greatest gift has been the unyielding resolve it instilled in her. From a young age, she faced the realities of chronic illness but refused to let it define her. In fifth grade, despite battling an infection, she ran a race with grit, foreshadowing her future student achievements. For six years, she competitively participated in cross country and track, earning state medals and setting a school record, proving she could surpass expectations. Even without medals to chase, Grace ran 600 miles last year, driven purely by self-motivation and determination.
This same tenacity sustained her through a challenging year when her mother was diagnosed with cancer. Despite being seven hours away at college, Grace balanced her studies, health routines, and work to support her mom, just as she’s always shown up for those she loves. Her mother’s resilience, creativity, and devotion to others have inspired Grace to pursue a graphic design degree with the same passion and grit that Cystic Fibrosis has taught her. Her mother’s example serves as a daily reminder to keep showing up—for herself and others—with empathy, purpose, and unwavering resolve, always aiming for future scholarship awards in her academic journey.
2025 $3,000 Scholarship Award: Reagan L.
Inspired by a preacher’s call to 'use me' at church camp, Reagan felt a divine pull toward ministry, motivated by her passion for mental health advocacy and the desire to help others navigate life's challenges. Living with cystic fibrosis, she understands the mental toll that chronic illness can take, which fuels her ambition to create safe spaces for healing through a career in ministry. To build a strong foundation in theology and service, she plans to study Christian Studies at Hardin-Simmons University. Additionally, her participation in 4-H, where she has taken on roles such as a Healthy Texas Youth Ambassador and Advisory Council member, has sharpened her leadership and public speaking skills, allowing her to advocate effectively for mental health and wellbeing. Reagan's dedication to these causes has also led to numerous scholarship awards recognizing her student achievements in both advocacy and leadership.
2025 $2,000 Scholarship Award: Reagan B.
Reagan’s ultimate goal is to become a lifelong author, writing novels across genres like fantasy, romance, and mystery—mainly for young adults—while raising awareness about cystic fibrosis (CF) and cystic fibrosis-related diabetes (CFRD) through her stories. She’s passionate about creating flawed, relatable characters, many of whom live with disabilities or mental illness, and she especially enjoys writing meaningful, wholesome relationships. Inspired by her supportive family and friends, she’s pursuing a creative writing degree to sharpen her skills, publish her first novel in college, contribute to her university’s literary magazine, and learn about marketing to understand the business side of publishing. In addition, Reagan hopes to apply for scholarship awards that celebrate student achievements to support her writing journey. She plans to explore courses outside of her major—like art, psychology, and theatre—to broaden her perspective. Living with CF has shaped her in every way: it has challenged her physically, especially in theater and athletics, but also has fueled her determination and empathy. Despite her size and health limitations, she earned a varsity spot on her high school cross country team, helping them reach state finals while running with a lung infection. These experiences have taught her resilience, and she uses that perspective in her writing to help others feel seen. But above all, CF has given Reagan purpose—to write, to inspire, and to prove that she is more than just her disease.
2024 $5,000 Scholarship Award: John P.
John is a confident and reflective individual who uses his experience with cystic fibrosis (CF) to inspire and educate others. Despite the challenges of living with this chronic illness, John has developed strong communication skills, particularly through public speaking and debate. He has also served as the Heart of America Chapter’s Great Strides Ambassador at CF fundraising events, where he shares his difficulties and hopes of living with CF.
While cystic fibrosis has shaped his life, he doesn’t let it define him. Growing up, he managed his condition with a sense of normalcy, although he became more aware of his differences over time. Hospital visits and witnessing memorials for others with CF highlight the gravity of his condition; yet, he is grateful for medical advancements like Trikafta that have significantly improved his life.
With plans to attend Harvard and study statistics, John aims to leverage his skills for meaningful change, aspiring to earn scholarship awards for his academic achievements. Supported by a strong community of family and friends who see beyond his diagnosis, he embraces his unique journey and is determined to make a lasting impact through advocacy and resilience.
2024 $3,000 Scholarship Award: Samantha P.
Navigating life with cystic fibrosis (CF), particularly during her first year of college away from home, Samantha faced both physical and mental health challenges. Her newfound independence brought considerable stress as she balanced her medical needs, academics, and personal life. This transformative period eventually led to personal growth, self-discovery, and the realization that CF, while a significant obstacle, would not define her. Instead, she used it as motivation to pursue her passions and achieve her goals.
Samantha is studying psychology, criminal justice, and sociology, aiming to support people with rare genetic diseases and marginalized individuals, including those with criminal backgrounds. Her strong sense of purpose inspires her to make the world a better place by leveraging her education and experiences to help others overcome their own obstacles. Through her resilience and commitment, she is determined to not let CF hold her back. Samantha actively seeks scholarship awards to further her education and recognizes her student achievements as steps toward making a lasting impact on mental health and providing support to those who often struggle to receive it.
2024 $2,000 Scholarship Award: Victoria M.
Victoria is a highly resilient, determined, and deeply introspective individual. Navigating life with cystic fibrosis has profoundly shaped her physical and emotional experiences. Despite these challenges, she has a powerful drive to pursue education and professional goals, particularly in psychology, where she aims to help children and others facing behavioral challenges. Her connection to her brother, who has autism, further highlights her empathy and insight into human resilience and personal growth.
In her journey, Victoria is also striving for independence. She is deeply motivated by the desire to earn her way through life, believing that personal agency is vital for her sense of purpose and self-worth. Aiming for scholarship awards that recognize her student achievements, she acknowledges the difficulties she faces but exhibits a persistent commitment to moving forward, even when setbacks and uncertainties threaten to derail her progress.
2023 $5,000 Scholarship Award: Emma G.
Emma has had a passion for art and design since a young age, and it has always been her dream to become a graphic designer. Not long ago, she even started her own small graphic design business to build her design portfolio for college. As you can see, she hasn’t been sitting back and waiting for her dreams to come true; instead, she has actively put her plans into motion. Her business has now grown much more than she could have ever imagined, and she feels grateful for the experience in her future career field, especially as someone living with cystic fibrosis, while also earning money to save for college. After college, she hopes to work in the business side of graphic design at a branding agency, helping to build brands for companies. Currently, she is a freshman at Northeast Alabama Community College and plans to transfer to the University of Montevallo in the fall of 2023 to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in graphic design and a minor in marketing. Emma is excited to receive higher education in her dream career field and aims to apply for scholarship awards to further support her student achievements.
2023 $2,500 Scholarship Award: Grace L.
Growing up with cystic fibrosis, Grace was a stubborn and determined individual who wanted to accomplish everything this disease told her she could not do. Everything that had an athletic or adventurous tinge to it grabbed her attention. She participated in dance, soccer, gymnastics, and hiking, but joining track years ago ignited a passion within her. She began running despite her CF and didn’t want it to define her capabilities or her identity. As she continued to run, it became a symbol of strength, positivity, and hope. Rather than running to create a notion that cystic fibrosis didn’t affect her, she used it as a blueprint for how to fight this lifelong battle. The lessons from endurance in long-distance running easily translate to her journey with this chronic illness. She views life much like a race; not one against others, but rather her personal quest to beat her own records and strive for her best self. When life gets hard or CF takes a toll on her health, she can’t just stop in the middle of the race. She considers those moments as the hills during a run—leaning in a little more, swinging her arms a little harder, and extending her strides. She has learned to embrace the hills in cross country because they reveal her strength and capability, even when she might not have believed in herself before reaching the top. Running has become more than just an action; it serves as a reason for her to push herself harder up those hills.
The perseverance she has gained from living with cystic fibrosis extends beyond sports; it permeates every aspect of her life. Lung infections and related illnesses amplified by CF have occasionally sidelined her in the middle of races due to a lack of oxygen, but they didn’t prevent her from returning to the starting line at the next meet. This determination has led her to achieve remarkable student achievements, including holding her school's 5k record, qualifying for state in track and cross country for three consecutive years, and being a five-time state medalist. Her journey illustrates that there is always hope, even within the toughest of situations, and highlights how scholarship awards can recognize such resilience.