Dear Community Voice Member,
This June, Community Voice is proud to recognize Pride Month and celebrate the legacy, contributions, and achievements of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning, intersex, and other identities (LGBTQI+) community. This celebration aims to highlight the resiliency, allyship, and intersectionality of the LGBTQI+ CF community and Community Voice membership.
We remain dedicated to increasing the visibility and inclusion of diverse LGBTQI+ voices across research and program areas across the Foundation and are committed to hearing from all people with CF and their loved ones. For example:
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This April, six members of Community Voice joined a focus group to help build trust and partnerships in CF care by openly discussing their experiences with their own care teams as people of color and/or members of the LGBTQI+ community.
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This June, the Cystic Fibrosis Therapeutic Development Network (TDN)’s Sexual Health, Reproduction and Gender Research (SHARING) Working Group is adding Community Voice members who identify as male to their efforts aimed at understanding the unique interplay of sexual, reproductive and gender health and CF.
“I am a gay man living with cystic fibrosis and I have pride and am proud to say that. Gathering the courage to come out to my family was very difficult. I was very blessed to have an amazing support system around me, friends near and far, and many allies within the CF community, and not just the patient side – the nurses that became family and the doctors that kept me alive.”
- Wes Hawkins, Community Voice Member
Follow the CF Community Blog to read insightful stories from the CF community, including this Pride Month blog post. If you are interested in sharing your story, fill out the CF Community Blog interest form!
We invite you to use this month to recognize and celebrate the diversity of the CF community. We hope these stories prompt reflection and conversations with your families and loved ones.
Warmest regards,
The Community Voice Team
