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  • A new CF modulator could be on the horizon. Professor Dr. Bhanu Jena is exciting to tell us all about it.

    Dr. Jena was born in a small town in Odisha, India. He got his love for science and medicine from his father and grandfather. He majored in Chemistry, Zoology, and Botany at BJB College in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India, He got his masters in zoology. He received the Peasant Ku. Memorial Prize and the Utkal University Gold Medal. He also got his doctorate in zoology (Molecular Endocrinology). His resume is lengthy and impressive. He was a fellow at Yale Univeristy of Medicine and worked as on the faculty there. He also worked in the Department of Physiology at Wayne State Univeristy. Dr. Jena was conferred the title of Distinguished Professor, and the George E. Palade University Professorship by the Board of Governors at Wayne State.

    Dr. Jena is a cell biologist and chemist. He unraveled understanding of cell secretion with his pioneering discovery of the 'porosome', the secretory machinery in cells.

    This short bio doesn't even touch the surface of his contributions. To read more about him: https://static.s123-cdn-static- d.com/uploads/5744411/secure/normal_6539c9b2a5bef.pdf

    HIs company website: https://www.porosome.com

    A great porosome video, and a short one, explaining: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y0Hset6gNw

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  • Approximately 10 percent of the CF population is waiting for a CF modulator drug that will help them by correcting the underlying condition of their disease. Current modulator drugs help more common CF mutations. Emily Kramer Golinkoff is one of the people who doesn't have a CF modulator that will help her. Her Foundation, Emily's Entourage, is a leader in research. They are focusing on people with CF who have the nonsense mutation.

    On Emily's team is Dr. Chandra Ghose, who is the Chief Scientific Officer. Dr. Ghose founded Bioharmony Therapeutics, an early stage biotech startup that specialized in the development of novel antimicrobials, to combat drug resistant bacterial infections.

    Chandra spent 8 years at the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center where she focused her research on developing life saving vaccines in the laboratory of Dr. David Ho. Chandra earned her PhD from New York University School of Medicine in microbiology and her bachelors degree from Saint Louis University in biology and theology, splitting her time between the U.S. and Spain campuses.

    For more information about Emily's Entourage: https://www.emilysentourage.org

    For registry information: https://www.emilysentourage.org/cystic-fibrosis-patient-registry/

    For Emily's Entourage information: https://www.emilysentourage.org/eeupdates/

    Follow EE at: @emilysentourage

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  • Living legends. One of them is Dr. Mitch Drumm. He was part of the team with Dr. Francis Collins who discovered the gene that cause CF. They were all at the University of Michigan. You’ll hear the connection Laura and Mitch have, and they didn’t know it until this podcast! Dr. Drumm is a living CF hero.

    Dr. Drumm earned his doctoral degree while in a lab with Dr. Francis Collins, the former director of the NIH and at that time, in 1989 the pair co-discovered the gene that causes CF.

    The discovery of the gene that causes CF was one of the biggest contributions to science, and even though science didn’t move as fast as we wanted in 1989 when this gene was discovered, it still moved pretty fast….look where we are today with a modulator drug that corrects the underlying condition of CF, and more possibilities in the pipeline.

    Dr. Mitch Drumm is one of those scientific hero’s. He is currently a Professor in the Department of Genetics and Genome sciences, vice chair of translational research, director of the Research Institute for Children’s healh and is at the CF Clinic at Case Western Reserve University.

    Because of the successes in cystic fibrosis, Dr. Drumm brought together faculty from across the Case Western Reserve University campus in 2015 to form The Research Institute for Children’s Health. This institute was launched to implement laboratory-to-clinic research programs for other rare, genetic disorders, patterned after the CF approach. Dr. Drumm currently serves as the Institute’s director, using it as infrastructure for rare disease research, but also as a platform for community outreach.

    His current research in CF focuses on gene editing approaches to therapy and he has active programs to understand altered metabolism in CF, problems of CF intestines, and how genes that modify CF disease severity convey their effects.

    Dr. Drumm also coordinates the Ohio Valley CF Consortium every year.

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  • Do you know what is needed before you have a lung transplant? Or even how it works? More and more adult CF clinics are explaining the details to adult patients, but if you're a CF parent, there is a lot you may not know.

    We welcome Dr. Ryan Hadley. Dr. Hadley is at Corewell health in Grand Rapids. He is an assistant Profession of Medicine in pulmonary and Critical care. He is a published author and researcher some of his academic appointments include Core Faculty with Pulmonary Critical Care Fellowship and MSU, assistant professor in the pulmonary and critical care.

    His resume is beautifully long. Here are some of his publications: “Acellular Normal and Fibrotic Human Lung Matrices as a Culture System for In Vitro Investigation” American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Nov 1 2012, 186(9) 866-876.

    Adam J. Booth, Ryan Hadley, Ashley M. Cornett, Alyssa A. Dreffs, Stephanie A.

    Matthes, Jessica L. Tsui, Kevin Weiss, Jeffery C. Horowitz, Vincent F. Fiore,

    Thomas H. Barker, Bethany B. Moore, Fernando J. Martinez, Laura E. Niklason,

    and Eric S. White

    “Idiopathic Non-specific Interstitial Pneumonia” Respirology. 2016 Feb;21(2):259-68.

    Elizabeth Belloli, Rosemary Beckford, Ryan Hadley, Kevin Flaherty

    “Critically Ill Patients with Interstitial Lung Disease” Clinics in Chest Medicine. 2015Sep;36(3):497-510.

    Ryan Hadley, Robert Hyzy

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  • Everyone always asks me "What does it take to run a Foundation?" So I thought I would explain some of the different aspects of funny and challenging parts of running a Foundation.

    Please join me with my friend Beth Vanstone who asks me all sorts of questions about what running a Foundation is all about!

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  • He’s been arrested. He’s CIS gender with a wife and kids. Rabbi Mike Moskowitz is also an orthodox Jew’is and he is one of the biggest supporters of the queer community. Rabbi Moskowitz is the Scholar-in-Residence for Trans and Queer Jewish Studies at Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, the world’s largest LGBT synagogue.

    He is a deeply traditional and radically progressive advocate for trans rights and a vocal ally for LGBTQ inclusivity.

    Rabbi Moskowitz received three Ultra-Orthodox ordinations while learning in the Mir in Jerusalem and BMG in Lakewood, NJ. He is a Wexner Field Fellow, Senior Rabbinic Fellow at the Hartman Institute, and the author of Textual Activism, Graceful Masculinity, and Seasonal Resistance. His newest book, Covenantal Allyship, will be available this year. Rabbi Moskowitz’s writings can be found at www.rabbimikemoskowitz.com

    We met in person at Temple shir Shalom in West Bloomfield. Rabbi Moskowitz was speaking at the synagogue and wishing to always be an ally for the Queer community, I went.

    The CF community, every community has a queer population and that’s why I felt it was important to talk about this.

    To reach Rabbi Mike Moskowitz www.cbst.org

    To learn more about him and to order his books https://www.rabbimikemoskowitz.com

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  • We’re going to Brazil for this podcast. Brazil is famous for some soccer players; you remember Pele and others. It’s the largest country in South America, it has 4 times zones…60 percent of the amazon rainforest is in Brazil, their flag has 27 stars on it and they speak Portuguese there.

    And the food looks amazing there.

    I have never been to Brazil, but Gabriel Johnson was born and raised there! Gabriel is the Projects and Institutional Relations Coordinator at Unidos pela Vida - Brazilian Institute of Cystic Fibrosis Care, has worked for nonprofits for the last 8 years.

    He graduated in journalism and marketing.

    Gabriel has MBAs in Digital Marketing and Project Management and is currently a master's student in Communication Sciences at the University of Porto, Portugal.

    Gabriel is a patient advocate for people with cystic fibrosis and rare diseases in Brazil. He’s been doing this for the past two years….and he’s only 31 years old!

    To learn more about CF in Brazil visit the Unidos pela Vida website (Vernonica Stasiak's Organization and where Gabriel works). www.unidospelavida.org.br

    Thank you to Beth Vanstone for producing this podcast. Beth is a CF advocate in Canada. Her daughter Madi has CF. She can be reached at: [email protected]

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  • So many people with cystic fibrosis have gut pain. It is often times, debilitating. Dr. Matthew DiMagno and Dr. Jorge Machicado are working to find answers to the suffering of people with CF, and others without.

    Dr. Machicado is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the University of Michigan.

    Dr. Machicado earned his medical degree from Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia in Lima, Peru, and received a Master of Public Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

    Dr. Machicado’s research focuses on epidemiology and clinical trials in pancreatic disorders. He has authored over 70 peer-reviewed articles, most of them on pancreatitis and pancreatic cysts.

    He has been recently selected as a FORWARD scholar by the American Gastroenterological Association, which aims to support physician scientists and future leaders in GI from under-represented populations.

    The Bonnell Foundation gave Dr. Machicado and his team a five thousand dollar grant to help study gut pain in people with CF. It’s a long pilot program, similar to a clinical trial. This is a feasibility study.

    To get a hold of Dr. Machicado for this study: [email protected]

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  • Maureen Electa Monte and I go ... way back! When she was an engineer, and doing photography, she photographed our first Portraits of cystic fibrosis black and white calendar in 2003. The wives of the Detroit Tigers, pretty much all of them pregnant, played in our first celebrity softball game. They played against law enforcement at a ballpark in Sterling Heights.

    Years ago when she was working at IBM she was the Engineer of the Year, she was a multi-sport athlete and MVP of her basketball team.

    Since then, Maureen has grown her personal brand and is an author. Her first book, Destination Unstoppable is fabulous. It teaches the reader how to be a successful team player. As Maureen knows, as I have told her for years, if she could get in a room with the Detroit Lions, they would get to the Super Bowl, and win.

    Her next book Win like a Girl, is where she talks about the framework needed to help coaches and parents develop powerful girls who overcome adversity and expand their comfort zone. The book itself, and the message or powerful and empowering to everyone.

    It relates to the CF world too. As parents, and persons with CF, we must always advocate for ourselves, and the ones we love.

    Meet Maureen Monte: https://maureenmonte.com/five-fears/

    Coaching example, one on one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCu4-It9JFM

    Follow Maureen on social media: https://twitter.com/maureenemonte

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004767524903

    Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maureenmonte/

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  • Aliyah Novelli was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis as an infant. Today, she's a licensed social worker practicing as a child and family therapist at The Center for Change and Growth in Ardmore, PA. Aliyah is full of enthusiasm about her new program: mindfulness. The CF Foundation awarded her with a CF Impact grant to get it started. Aliyah launched her mindfulness program this year. It's for a program for adults 18 to 35 years old on CF modulators.

    Aliyah earned her master's degree in social work at the University of Pennsylvania. She also got a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts in dance at Temple University.

    Aliyah lives with her husband Mark and Mr. Boots (her polydactyl cat). They also have a Cavapoo dog named, Sammy.

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  • Canadian, Vicky Maldonado is the mother of a young boy living with a rare genetic form of CF. Sebastian is 6 years old, and a twin. The road to diagnosis was challenging. Sebastian was diagnosed with two rare CF genes after repeated respiratory infections and two hospitalizations. “We were told that Sebastian likely didn’t have CF because he’s “not White”— his parents are Canadian-born Latinos from Ecuador. Though CF affects all races and ethnicities, there’s still a common misconception among health-care providers that it is a predominantly White disease.”

    Vicky and her husband were devastated to learn that their son would not have access to the life-changing and life-saving drug Trikafta because he has two rare mutations. Due to small populations in rare mutations, clinical trials are often not feasible. Other countries are using in vitro data to provide access to those with rare and ultra-rare mutations while approximately 200 Canadians with CF are being left behind.

    This is not a new problem in Canada, the pathway to access to new and innovative therapies is fraught with challenges. A broader regulatory approach is needed to support implementation of the National Strategy for Drugs for Rare Diseases, and cystic fibrosis is an example of this need. There are hundreds of disease-causing mutations, some with only a handful of patients worldwide. Health Canada can improve access to rare disease medications like Trikafta by using patient and laboratory in vitro data and by developing a regulatory model that permits bulk approvals of gene mutations that can respond to precision medicines like Trikafta.

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  • A better future for health for: All of Us!

    Dr. Josh Denny is the All of Us Research program, CEO. A program that comes from the National Institute of Health. The Bonnell Foundation is all about Science and Innovation! And he has a CF connect via his father!

    The goal of All of Us is to enroll 1 million people to build one of the most diverse health databases in history. This would allow resources to accelerate precision medicine for all populations. This is critical to the future of our planet and population in my opinion…. but it’s clearly why they called the program: All of Us. To succeed, and to properly represent our population…science needs All of Us.

    Josh is an amazing human, and I am honored to feature him in this podcast.

    Dr. Denny has been involved since the program’s inception. He was a member of the NIH Precision Medicine Initiative Working Group of the Advisory Committee to the Director, which developed the program’s initial scientific blueprint. He then led the program’s initial prototyping project and the All of Us Data and Research Center. Josh was named CEO of All of Us in January 2020.

    Before joining NIH, Dr. Denny was a practicing physician and held several leadership positions at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. At Vanderbilt, he led discovery and implementation projects in precision medicine, including clinical pharma-co-genomics and Vanderbilt’s DNA biobank.

    Dr. Denny was a pioneer in the use of electronic health records for genomics studies, including the initial descriptions of phenome‐wide association studies and phenotype risk scores.

    To get involved with All of Us, visit this website: https://www.joinallofus.org/

    As I state in the podcast, I joined All Of Us, given over my genetic material and answers to medical questions.

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    Part of the Bonnell mission, while doing these podcasts, is to raise awareness and shine the light on other Foundations who are also doing great things. Today we’re going to tell you about the CF Trust in the United Kingdom.

    Belinda Cupid is the Senior Impact Adviser at Cystic Fibrosis Trust. For the past six years she has been a member of the research team at Cystic Fibrosis Trust, their work is making a big difference to people with CF and their loved ones

    Belinda works with colleagues to explain research grants, to bring to life progress made and put cystic fibrosis research news in context.

    Belinda does a lot. She collects, analyses, and interprets information on the impact of CF Trust-funded research. Her hard work helps Cystic Fibrosis Trust evaluate the outcomes of their funding and helps generate income to continue to fund cystic fibrosis research into the future.

    Belinda completed her PhD in biological chemistry, she has spent the last 20 years working in medical research charities, supporting, and communicating research into motor neuron disease and cystic fibrosis.

    She’s doing some pretty amazing work as you'll hear.

    Contact Cystic Fibrosis Trust U.K. https://www.cysticfibrosis.org.uk

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  • This is our third podcast with Alan Klein, the Chief Development Officer Healthwell. As a reminder Healthwell was paying about $25 million each year for CF co-pays in therapeutics. But because of the lack of funding from their corporate sponsors they stopped helping existing patients and couldn’t help new applicatns with their CF bills. Healthwell closed their CF Treatment Fund to new and re-enrolling patients in 2023 with no word or idea when they would start up again. There was a lot of fear when this happened in August 0f 2023. The CF Vitamin and Supplement Fund did remain open, but there was also concern it may shut down. With 40 to 45 percent of the CF population being helped by Healthwell, this was scary for many. The Bonnell Foundataion was refering people to Healthwell if we couldn’t meet patients’ financial requests. So it was concerning for non profits like mine and many others who worried we could be overwhelmed with financial requests because Healthwell no longer had funding.

    The reason for this podcast is because, is that the program has opened up. But not everyone knows it’s back open to people with CF.

    To find out more about Healthwel Foundationl: https://www.healthwellfoundation.org

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    What a treat for all of us today. Nicholas Kelly is in the house. I've wanted him on our podcast for a while.

    Nick was diagnosed with CF when he was 3 months old.

    Nick has so many accomplishments. He earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Bowling Green State University. Nick is a dietitian.

    But that is not all, he is an author, dancer, and a speaker. Once you start watching his videos you won’t be able to stop. Trust is something you must start from within, to trust externally. First trust yourself.

    Nicholas has done Ted X talks…Healing through the Human Experience. He also does motivational videos where he talks about fearing the truth.

    Everything Nicholas talks about is not CF, it’s about life. Did CF play a part in his internal strength, lets find out….

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  • Karen McEwan’s daughter, Elana, is 20 years old. It’s been a complex journey from birth to today. Elana suffers from a rare, incurable disease called Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD). This is the first podcast that is not about cystic fibrosis specifically, although you will see the connection. It’s about chronic illness and Mom’s connecting and parents doing all they can for their children. We go through the same anxiety, fear, frustrations, you name it, we can relate.

    Karen also has a younger daughter, Madison who does not have a rare disease.

    Karen is a strong person sharing her story, and the challenging journey she’s been on with her daughter.

    How did we meet? My brother’s wife, Lisa connected us. We were both advocating and Lisa Teicher thought we would enjoy having out. We met in a Starbucks the first time and didn’t stop talking. Moms who have kids with a chronic illness have so much in common. We bonded over chronic illness.

    Please like, subscribe, and comment on our shows, wherever you get your podcasts.

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  • Rena Barrow has two kids with CF, Jarrod is 22 and Jahsir is 3 years old. Over the years she’s witnessed a discrepancy in care for people of color. Even after her 22 year old son was diagnosed, doctors weren't sure her newborn baby had CF, They told her, "Maybe it was sickle cell." She fought until her son Jahsir was properly diagnosed. The delay in diagnosis took a toll on her little guy. When he ate he was always in pain (not prescribed enzymes until diagnosis) so now he has an aversion to food.

    Rena is motivated by her personal and avoidable situation to raise awareness so others don't go through what she did.

    Their experience with diagnosis of CF is sadly still too common. Between 2001 and 2005 they tried to figure out what health condition their son had. They were accused of not feeding him or caring for him properly prior to his diagnosed.

    Rena is speaking out for black, indigenous and people of color or BIOPIC.

    To get in contact with Rena: [email protected]

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  • I am excited that all of you will get to meet Dr. Susanna McColley!!!! I was so impressed with her commitment to CF and her incredible medical and life knowledge. Dr. McColley works to promote equitable diagnosis and treatment in cystic fibrosis. As a white person, Dr. McColley talks about all that white privilege brings, and what we must remember along the way. "Privilege allows you to go through the world without additional scrutiny". She goes on to say, people who differ, who are not white, are still treated differently. Dr. McColley discusses this in today's podcast.

    Dr. McColley's biography:

    Susanna A. McColley, MD, FAAP, ATSF is a pediatric pulmonologist whose research focuses on improving the health of people with cystic fibrosis though understanding health disparities, improving methods for screening and diagnosis, and testing new treatments. She leads a multidisciplinary team of clinicians, community members and public health professionals to improving timeliness and equity of CF newborn screening. She is passionate about supporting the next generation of researchers, especially those underrepresented in the biomedical research workforce. She directs a summer research program for students from minority-serving institutions in Chicago and co-leads the Faculty Development Core for Northwestern University Recruitment to Transform Under-Representation and achieve Equity (NURTURE), the Northwestern University Faculty Institutional Recruitment for Sustaining Transformation program through the NIH Common Fund.

    Dr. McColley is Scientific Director for Interdisciplinary Research Partnerships at Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago; Professor of Pediatrics in Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine; Associate Clinical Director for Child Health and Director of the TL1 Multidisciplinary Program in Child and Adolescent Health at Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute; and Editor-in-Chief for Pediatric Pulmonology. Her research is funded by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and The Legacy of Angels Foundation.

    Please consider making a donation: https://thebonnellfoundation.org/donate/

    The Bonnell Foundation website: https://thebonnellfoundation.org

    Bonnell Foundation email: [email protected]

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    Viatris: https://www.viatris.com/en

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    Please consider making a donation: https://thebonnellfoundation.org/donate/

    The Bonnell Foundation website:https://thebonnellfoundation.org

    Email us at: [email protected] 

    Thanks to our sponsors:

    Vertex: https://www.vrtx.com

    Viatris:  https://www.viatris.com/en

  • Caroline Heffernan talks to CF families about all sorts of things, employment, family support, housing issues, cross infection, fertility…you name it.

    Caroline talks all things CF. As someone with CF she knows what she’s talking about. She’ll even discuss End of Life with CF families. Caroline volunteers for CF Ireland.

    Caroline, is 53 years old, and pushes the power of exercise. She’s a cycler, she’s ran a marathon on 2008, did the Barcelona Ironman in 2018, and in July of this year climbed Kilimanjaro. She assisted in the Guinness World Record Attempt for the Highest Harp Concert in aid of CF Ireland. She also reminds everyone with CF to think about what your Kilimanjaro is. It could be just climbing the stairs. Don't compare yourself to anyone. You do you.

    She lives in Ireland with her husband Francis, kids Jamie and Anna and grandson Milo.

    Find out more about Caroline's trek up Kilimanjaro and the fundraising for CF Ireland: https://highestharpconcert.com/

    Link to the story of Triona Priestly, and singer Ed Sheeran's serenade to her: https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/ed-sheeran-serenade-dying-fan-7760540/

    CF Ireland: https://www.cfireland.ie

    Harp fundraising: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/highest-harp#:~:text=The%20Highest%20Harp%20Concert%20Team,19%2C340ft%20on%20Mount%20Kilimanjaro

    Producer: Beth Vanstone If you'd like to be featured contact her at: [email protected]

    Please consider making a donation: https://thebonnellfoundation.org/donate/

    The Bonnell Foundation website: https://thebonnellfoundation.org

    Bonnell Foundation email: [email protected]

    Thanks to our sponsors:

    Vertex: https://www.vrtx.com

    Genentech: https://www.gene.com

    Viatris: https://www.viatris.com/en

    Please like, subscribe, and comment on our shows, wherever you get your podcasts.

    Please consider making a donation: https://thebonnellfoundation.org/donate/

    The Bonnell Foundation website:https://thebonnellfoundation.org

    Email us at: [email protected] 

    Thanks to our sponsors:

    Vertex: https://www.vrtx.com

    Viatris:  https://www.viatris.com/en

  • Carre Callaway (Queen Kwong) tours in the U.S., U.K. and wherever her music takes her. Carre ended her tour and was in Los Angeles when we talked with her on this podcast. She talks about how music was a coping mechanism for her chaotic life. When Carre was 17 years old, a chance meeting with Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, turned her life around. Carre and I met after she was newly diagnosed with CF when she was 30 years old (being a white American and of Chinese descent her doctors didn't think she could have CF), and amid a messy divorce with a famous musician. She talks about being abandoned by her husband and friends after the diagnosis.This is her first in-depth discussion about life with CF.

    Carre talks about how she went into survival mode and being in what felt like a hopeless situation. Carre embraced being an imperfect human and figured out how to thrive inspired by her massive loss.

    Carre has released three records, and is in the process of writing a book about life with CF. Life with CF as a punk rock, Indie rock singer with hemoptysis (coughing up blood) happening in between or during gigs.

    Carre is in a loving relationship and doing well. Check her out on Instagram!

    Follow Queen Kwong: https://www.instagram.com/queenkwong/

    The Bonnell Foundation website:https://thebonnellfoundation.org

    Email us at: [email protected]

    Thanks to our sponsors:

    Vertex: https://www.vrtx.com

    Genentech: https://www.gene.com

    Viatris: https://www.viatris.com/en

    Please like, subscribe, and comment on our shows, wherever you get your podcasts.

    Please consider making a donation: https://thebonnellfoundation.org/donate/

    The Bonnell Foundation website:https://thebonnellfoundation.org

    Email us at: [email protected] 

    Thanks to our sponsors:

    Vertex: https://www.vrtx.com

    Viatris:  https://www.viatris.com/en