My name is Tommy Kostelac, and I am incredibly grateful and humbled to be named a 2026 Pittsburgh’s 50 Finest Honoree in support of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

For those who may not know me, I am a professional working in my family’s real estate business where I’ve had the opportunity to serve people, build relationships, and carry forward a legacy that means a great deal to me. I am also a performing pianist, and music has always been one of the deepest ways I connect with others. Whether through my work, my music, or my community, I have always believed that life becomes most meaningful when we use what we have been given to help someone else.

That is why this honor means so much to me.

As part of Pittsburgh’s 50 Finest, I have committed to raising money to help the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation continue its lifesaving mission: curing cystic fibrosis and providing every person living with CF the opportunity to lead a long, fulfilling life.

Cystic fibrosis is a progressive genetic disease that affects the lungs, pancreas, and other organs. Nearly 40,000 people in the United States are living with CF. Sixty years ago, children with cystic fibrosis often did not live long enough to attend elementary school. Today, because of extraordinary research, medical care, and the relentless work of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the median survival age for people with CF is now over 50.

That progress is incredible.

But the work is not finished.

Many people with cystic fibrosis still do not benefit from existing therapies. Families are still fighting. Children are still growing up with treatments, uncertainty, hospital visits, and the daily weight of a disease they did not choose. Parents are still praying for more time. Adults with CF are still hoping for a future free from the burden of this condition.

And that is why we have to keep going.

This cause is personal to me in a meaningful way. As someone living with a connective tissue disorder, I understand how difficult life with a chronic condition can be. I know what it feels like when your body forces you to think about things most people never have to consider. I know how exhausting it can be to manage symptoms, appointments, limitations, uncertainty, and the emotional weight that comes with health challenges.

While my journey is not the same as someone living with cystic fibrosis, it has given me a deep compassion for people who are fighting battles that others may not always see. It has made me more aware of how precious health is, how powerful hope can be, and how life-changing medical progress truly is.

No one should have to feel forgotten in their fight.

No child should have to wonder whether they will get the chance to grow old.

No family should have to face cystic fibrosis without knowing that people are standing beside them, fighting for them, raising money for them, and believing in a future where CF no longer steals time, breath, dreams, and life.

That is why I am asking for your support.

By donating to my Pittsburgh’s 50 Finest fundraising page, you are not just helping me meet a goal. You are helping fund research. You are helping support care. You are helping bring new treatments closer to the people who need them. You are helping families hold onto hope. You are helping the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation move closer to its vision of a cure for every person with cystic fibrosis.

Your donation, no matter the size, matters.

A donation of any amount says, “I care.

It says, “I stand with the CF community.

It says, “I believe in a future where people with cystic fibrosis can live longer, fuller, freer lives.

It says, “I want to be part of ending this disease."

I am honored to represent this cause, but I cannot do it alone. I need the help of my friends, family, colleagues, community, and anyone who believes that when people come together, real change can happen.

Please consider making a donation today. Help me meet my fundraising goal. Help me support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Help me honor those living with CF, the families who love them, the doctors and researchers fighting for them, and the future we all want to see — a future where cystic fibrosis is cured.

Together, we can make a difference in the lives of those with cystic fibrosis.

Together, we can help make medical history.

Together, we can move closer to the day when CF stands for Cure Found.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting me, supporting this mission, and standing with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.