I moved to Charlottesville in April 2020 from Los Angeles with the dream of building a tight-knit community in a smaller city. And while my husband, Adam, and I didn’t meet anyone outside of our daily walking schedule for the first 18 months due to Covid, it didn’t take us long to fall in love with Charlottesville. So we decided to put down roots by buying a house, adopting a dog, and getting more involved.

Fast forward 6 years, and we both work for local organizations, are involved in various non-profits, and are raising our now 2 chihuahua mixes in this town we are proud to call home.

And I am proud and excited to now grow our Charlottesville community as an honoree of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation! While I have no connection to the disease, I do have a deep connection to Charlottesville and the people who live here.

And if I have learned anything about the C’ville community, it’s that we show up for each other. That’s been made evident through neighbors offering help to each other during ice storms, supporting our local businesses during difficult economic times, and uniting during heartbreaking tragedies in recent years. And now, I am honored to have the opportunity to help those affected by Cystic Fibrosis at the UVA CF Center.

Nearly 40,000 people in the United States have cystic fibrosis: a progressive, genetic disease that affects the lungs, pancreas, and other organs. 60 years ago, children with CF usually did not live long enough to attend elementary school. Today, because of Foundation-supported research and care, the median survival age of people with CF is over 50. Working alongside the CF community, the CF Foundation has fostered the development of more than a dozen CF treatments and helped add decades of life for people with CF. Yet, many people with CF do not benefit from existing therapies. Our vision is a cure for every person with cystic fibrosis – a life free from the burden of this disease – and we will not leave anyone behind.

Help me and the CF Foundation in the fight against cystic fibrosis by donating to my campaign today!