I am proud to be one of this year’s New York Elite honorees. New York’s Elite is a group of leaders from the Metro NY area who are committed to professional growth and a fundraising and awareness campaign that benefits the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the mission to find a cure for CF.

My Story 

When I was three, my older brother, Matt, had a persistent cough. My parents took him to countless doctor visits to find the solution. Finally, my pediatrician said there was a remote chance that the cough was caused by CF, a genetic lung disease. My parents, in disbelief, had him tested immediately. The test came back positive. Because this disease is genetic, my parents tested my other brother and me. My test came back positive too. 

I started Trikafta in 2019 and my life changed dramatically. Before Trikafta, I spent hours on daily treatments and took countless pills to manage my disease. After Trikafta, my lung function has improved to a point where my doctors are peeling away treatments from my daily regimen. Not only did Trikafta improve my quality of life, it also proved that a cure for this disease was suddenly possible. While Trikafta is not a "cure", it has saved my life. I am forever grateful to the researchers and the CFF for this incredible achievement. However, because Trikafta only works for a certain subset of CF mutations, many CF patients continue to live without advanced medication and improved treatments. They are the reason we continue to fight and fundraise for a forever cure for all CF patients. One day, I hope CF stands for “cure found”. Thank you for considering a donation. 

About Kate 

Kate is an attorney and currently works for Mayer Brown LLP in the Corporate & Securities practice. She graduated from Brooklyn Law School in 2024, and before that worked in M&A insurance at Euclid Transactional. She graduated from the University of Michigan in 2019. Go Blue!