Max loves to swim and has been doing it for a number of years. He swims all year round because it makes him healthy and happy. A grant would help him to be able to swim in the winter as well as the summer, and he hopes to continue doing that. He has noticed how much better he feels after he swims, and this keeps him motivated to keep doing it.
Dance is a way for Taylor to express herself and get exercise at the same time. "I know exercise is good for my CF, and I like to dance, so it doesn't feel like something I am forced to do." When she is dancing, she can take her mind off her CF and just dance. Being able to continue her dance classes is very important to Taylor because she knows what a huge impact it will have on her health. Taylor works really hard to keep herself healthy, and dancing has motivated her to keep working hard at it.
Running is difficult at times for Danielle, but she loves how she feels after so she keeps doing it. Now that she has a toddler she wants to stay as active as possible so she is healthy enough to take care of her daughter. Having a gym membership would motivate her to keep running and exercising regularly.
As a cheerleader, Samantha's favorite physical activity is gymnastics. She used her grant to take gymnastic classes, helping her improve her hand stands, tumbling and stunting skills and overall fitness level. Not only does gymnastics improve her energy level, it mentally relaxes her. She also enjoys spending time with her siblings, horses and dogs.
Shannon has been swimming since she was very young. She swam competitively for all of her childhood and teenage years. When she went into college, she switched to running. Shannon is a very focused and determined person and wants to do as much as she can to stay healthy. She knows that being able to have a gym membership where she can use a pool regularly is going to boost her health even more. "Swimming has taught me self-confidence and respect for my body. My lungs stayed cleared, and I stayed out of the hospital (and in the pool) almost all the way through high school...
Even at just 6 years old, Isabelle loves to ice skate because it gives her energy and makes her feel tall. She used her grant to take ice hockey classes, allowing her to perform her favorite physical activity while being surrounded by other children. "I like hockey because I like to skate. I like when the big kids help me. Hockey helps me cough."
Kassidy loves to dance because it takes her to another place and sets her mind free. She hopes to one day dance on TV. "Dancing just gives me a feeling like no other." When she hears music come on, it makes her happy, and she knows this is good for her CF as well.
Tyler likes to do martial arts for a lot of reasons. It not only keeps his lungs strong and healthy, but it keeps him in shape and allows him to meet new people. Doing Tae Kwon Do also helps him to stay out of the hospital. CF can be very stressful, but having an outlet like martial arts helps a lot.
Jack lives to play sports. He loves being part of a team, especially his baseball team who support him and come visit him in the hospital when he's sick. Jack is tall for his age and is practicing to be a pitcher for his baseball team. Being a pitcher means having mental toughness, as well as physical toughness. Having baseball to look forward to helps Jack get through the more challenging parts of CF.
Baton twirling is Emily's favorite activity. It's really difficult to do and so she feels lucky to be able to be so good at it. Being involved with baton classes keeps her active because it is a good aerobic exercise. It helps keep her lungs healthy because baton consists of gymnastics, dance, flexibility, and hand-eye coordination. Baton classes also help her mentally by taking her mind off her CF and letting her feel like a normal kid.
