I was born with a challenge I never signed up for: Cystic Fibrosis (CF). It’s a condition that should have slowed me down. Instead, it sparked something in mean unbreakable drive to live fully, fiercely, and without limits.

My parents were my first heroes. They didn’t wrap me in bubble wrap or let CF define me. They taught me to run, jump, play—and when my lungs burned, to breathe through the pain. CF wasn’t a barrier; it was a battle we were ready to face head-on, together.

As a child, I spent more time on sports fields than in hospitals. Netball, touch footy, basketball, swimming—you name it, I played it. To the outside world, I was just another kid laughing loud, smiling bright, living life to the fullest. Sure, there were days my lungs felt like they were lined with concrete, but my parents made sure I never saw CF as a limitation. They made sure I saw it as part of my story – not the headline.

Today, I run marathons – not just for me, but for every person who’s been told “you can’t.” Every kilometre is a reminder that limits are only there if you let them be. My parents gave me resilience; my own spirit proved it. I’m also a teacher – Health & Physical Education and Science. Every day in the classroom or outdoors, I get to show my students what grit looks like. It’s more than just about fitness or biology – it’s about building resilience, courage, and the drive to keep moving forward, no matter the obstacles.

I snowboard. I surf. I skydive. I scuba dive. I own a house. There is nothing that will ever stop me from living life the way I choose.

Cystic Fibrosis shaped parts of my life, but it never defined me. My family made sure of that. Now, I live every day with purpose – running toward goals, teaching others to dream big, and proving that no obstacle is too great when you refuse to let it hold you back.