My name is Chris Yenchek, and this is my CF story.
In 2014, my wife Kate and I were elated to learn that we had become pregnant and were overjoyed to learn we were to become new parents. While that sense of excitement never waned, we did experience anxiety when we learned at our 20-week routine ultrasound appointment that blood tests revealed that we both carried the cystic fibrosis (CF) gene mutation. While neither of us, nor our families, had knowingly suffered from CF, we both inherited rare genes that would cause a very severe form of the disease. This surprise news caused a great deal of nervousness as we wadded through learning about CF, what our unborn baby’s life could be like, and what help was available to support us.
This is when our journey with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation started. Through a series of discussions with others that were involved in the Foundation, we began to learn more about this severe genetic disease and what resources existed to help us. We also were amazed to learn of the significant medical advancement that has taken place recently that is aimed at finding a cure for all forms of CF. And, most significantly, we were deeply impacted by the stories of others’ who have been battling this disease every day of their lives.
While our daughter was born without CF, I felt a calling to dive-in and advance the CF cause in any way that we could. Our experience in how we navigated through our first, and subsequent, pregnancies left a permanent mark on our hearts. Since 2014, I have been involved in the Associate Board helping support and attend various fundraisers while connecting with other young families struggling through similar experiences as Kate and me. Today, as part of the Chicago Chapter Board, I am so excited to see how much progress has been made and what the future holds for curing this disease. I have no doubt that CF will one day stand for ‘Cure Found’. Until that day, however, much work remains on the medical research side to reach our shared ambition. If you feel so moved to help support the cause, Kate and I would be grateful for any amount that you could contribute to the foundation.
We are in this battle until that day when CF is cured for all.