One More Breath: Audrey’s Journey with Cystic Fibrosis and Mental Health

From the outside, 25-year-old Audrey’s life in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec, might seem full of light. She loves to write, travel, spend time with her family and friends, and care for her animals. She’s adventurous – the kind of person who might spend one afternoon enjoying a quiet night by herself and the next climbing a mountain. But behind the moments of joy is a lifelong battle with cystic fibrosis – one that has tested not only her body, but her mind.

Audrey was diagnosed at just two months old. Her pediatrician, also a CF specialist, recognized the signs and ordered the test that would change everything. For her parents, it was a devastating shock. For Audrey, it became the foundation of her life.

Growing up, her days were shaped by the rigid structure of treatments and hospital visits. Medications, physiotherapy, and exhaustion left little room for the carefree joys of childhood. While her peers stayed late at the park or enjoyed sleepovers, Audrey was at home completing therapies that she depended on to survive. It was isolating – and it often made her wonder, Why me?

Those challenges weren’t only physical. CF left deep marks on Audrey’s mental health. She faced bullying for being “different,” even though her illness wasn’t always visible. In one of the most painful chapters of her life, a figure in her home accused her of faking symptoms. The emotional damage was profound – it worsened her health, triggered her anorexia, and fuelled her anxiety for years to come.

Through it all, Audrey’s mother became her anchor. With her at Audrey’s side during the worst moments – helping her when she was sick, advocating for her care, and offering the kind of support that only unconditional love can give. That trust and closeness made Audrey realize a hard truth: the people you allow into your life can either protect your health or harm it.

Living with CF meant constant wrestling with the fear of the future. “Feeling accepted became so necessary,” Audrey says, reflecting on the years she spent searching for belonging. Regular therapy became her lifeline, a place to process the anger, grief, and uncertainty that came with her diagnosis.

But everything changed on November 8, 2021 - this is when Audrey began Trikafta. At first, she didn’t expect much. But with time, she knew her life had shifted. Her lungs cleared. Hospital stays became a rarity. And she went months without needing antibiotics – something she had never experienced before.

Today, Audrey is pregnant. For the first time, she is imagining a long-term future with her spouse – one filled with milestones she once thought would remain out of reach. “I’m not thinking that I will die in a few years,” she says. “Each of us deserves to live that sort of life.”

Audrey knows this transformation was only possible because of access to life-changing treatment – access made possible by research, advocacy, and donors who believe in a future without limits for people with CF.

“When you donate, you give us more than just medicine - you give us another birthday, another dream, another chance to take a full breath.”