A lot has changed in my life after being diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. I remember when I was 10 years old and coughing up blood for the first time – it almost took the soul out of my body. I was so scared that I didn’t tell my parents for a while. After I told them, they were equally frightened.
My medical journey has been a roller coaster. Coming from a country where newborn screening and genetic testing are not available – only in a few selected hospitals – no one ever suspected I might have CF. I had frequent pneumonia growing up, and my symptoms started when I was 9. My parents took me to a pediatrician, and I was diagnosed with asthma. Later, I was misdiagnosed with tuberculosis and was put on medications, which further negatively affected my lungs. Finally, I was taken to an allergy specialist and