Hello everyone! My name is Brenn Smith and I am honored to be the Young STANDOUT of 2024. I am so lucky to be here tonight and be able to share my story of how I got involved in the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. My first involvement with the CF Foundation started when I was five years old and my father told me that his close friend and business partner had just had a baby. Her name was Palmer and she had been born with Cystic Fibrosis. Being five, I didn’t know what this meant but I could tell that everyone was very sad. Sad because Palmer had to have surgery and sad because she was very sick. I wanted to do anything I could to help so, with my sixth birthday coming up, I decided to ask for donations to help Palmer in place of birthday presents. With the help of my parents, and of all those who contributed, I was able to start Palmer’s Princesses. Starting as a Great Strides team, Palmer’s Princesses later grew to be the team my parents would hike for when they completed their very first Xtreme Hike in 2017. When I was much younger, the 30.1 mile hike always seemed like such a massive and daunting task. Now, having completed two of them myself, I know I was right. I’d grown up seeing my parents involved in the hike and it inspired me. My father retired from his hiking career after his third to be a devoted volunteer and my mother just completed her eighth Xtreme Hike this past October. I am so inspired by my parents each and everyday and growing up seeing them raise money, spread awareness, and work so hard to help those with CF has shown me how we are all able to make change and help others. 

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is so important to me for so many reasons. Through it I have met so many people who either have CF or have a connection with CF and heard their stories. I’ve seen what big advancements the developing technology and research has made on their daily lives and how much it has increased their quality of life. I’ve been able to witness the amazing change that the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has made and I count myself lucky to be a part of it. Although I started at a young age, I see myself continuing with the foundation until CF stands for “Cure Found”. Thank you so much!