I am honored to be selected as a member of Capital City’s Finest 2026 benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. This cause is deeply personal to me, and I’m proud to help raise money in support of the Foundation’s mission to cure cystic fibrosis and provide all people with CF the opportunity to live long, fulfilling lives.
 

Cystic fibrosis has always felt close to home for me. My grandmother worked for Jim Crane State farm for 37 years and I worked there myself during college. Through that connection, I grew up knowing Jamie Crane, who battled cystic fibrosis with incredible strength from 1986 until his passing in 2022. The Crane family also lost a daughter to CF as a baby, and witnessing the impact this disease has had on their family left a lasting impression on me.
 

Nearly 40,000 people in the United States live with cystic fibrosis, a progressive genetic disease that affects the lungs, pancreas, and other organs. Thanks to decades of research and advancements supported by the CF Foundation, people with CF are living longer than ever before. Just decades ago, many children with CF did not live long enough to attend elementary school. Today, the median predicted survival age is over 50. While tremendous progress has been made, there is still no cure, and many people with CF still do not benefit from existing therapies.
 

Over the next several weeks, I’ll be raising money to support continued research, treatment advancements, and care for individuals and families affected by CF. Every donation, no matter the size, helps move us closer to a cure and gives hope to so many people living with this disease.
 

Please consider supporting my fundraising efforts and joining us in making a difference. Together, we can help create a future where every person with cystic fibrosis can live a life free from the burden of this disease.
 

Thank you so much for your support. 💜