From Surviving to Living: Beth's Story

“Hi, I’m Beth. For much of my life, cystic fibrosis shaped what I could and couldn't do. But by 2019, my health had taken a serious turn. Throughout 2019 and 2020, I found myself in and out of the hospital, surrounded by doctors, nurses, home care providers, and an incredible medical team who were doing everything they could to help me.  

Despite everyone's best efforts, my health continued to steadily decline. My life increasingly revolved around treatments, appointments, hospital stays and simply trying to get through each day. While other people my age were building careers, travelling, and making plans for their futures, I was focused on managing an illness that seemed to be getting worse no matter what we tried.  

Then, just when I needed it most, everything changed.  

Thanks to the incredible dedication and advocacy of my medical team at The Ottawa Hospital, I was approved for Trikafta. 

The difference was remarkable. Within just one month of starting Trikafta, I was well enough to return to working full-time. Things that had once felt exhausting or completely out of reach suddenly became possible again. I began travelling, hiking, spending more time enjoying life with the people I love, and experiencing the freedom of making plans without my health being the deciding factor in every decision. I was given back the ability to imagine a future.  

Today, at 30 years old, I've built a career, travelled with loved ones, explored new places and achieved milestones I once wasn't sure would be possible. I've even been able to invest in real estate and purchase a home of my own, something that once felt incredibly far out of reach.  

These are milestones many people take for granted, but for someone living with a disease like cystic fibrosis, they mean so much more. There was a time when thinking too far into the future felt uncertain. Now, I get to think about where I want to travel next, what I want to accomplish in my career, and what I want my life to look like in five, ten, or even twenty years.  

Trikafta isn't a cure. Cystic fibrosis is still part of my life, and I know that not everyone living with CF has had the same experience or access to the same life-changing treatments. I remain incredibly grateful for the medical professionals who fought for me, the researchers who made this treatment possible, and the ongoing work being done to improve the lives of everyone affected by this disease. Sometimes I think about how different my life looks today compared to those difficult years in 2019 and 2020. Back then, so much of my energy went into simply trying to stay healthy. Today, I get to put that energy into living.  

I haven't climbed Mount Everest or accomplished anything particularly extraordinary. I go to work, spend time with loved ones, make plans, and worry about all the everyday things that come with being an adult. And that's exactly what makes my story so meaningful to me.  

Trikafta didn't just give me my health back. It gave me the chance to build a life, dream about the future, and believe that I'll be here to enjoy it.”