Julie Riedy first learned about cystic fibrosis in college when she met the man who she would one day marry, Chad. On this month’s episode, Julie explains that you don’t choose who you love, but that you get to love who you love. We talked to Julie about her involvement with the CF community, how she found a career as a teacher, her and Chad’s journey to have children, and that there is no “normal” for Julie and her family.

Julie Riedy: You Don’t Choose Who You Love

Breaking Through is a monthly narrative podcast produced by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's Tomorrow's Leaders group. Breaking Through is meant to help Tomorrow's Leaders members develop professionally, foster community, and learn from others through rich storytelling, while also recruiting and engaging new members.

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For our final episode of Breaking Through, we caught up with Rob Ronnenberg from the small town of Byron, Minnesota. We chatted about his wife Jennifer, her double lung transplant, their Brady Brunch-style family, being a CF spouse, and their viral video that led to a dream wedding on reality TV. Ever since the transplant, and a viral video of Jennifer’s first breaths, they have been advocates for CF and organ donation.
You can watch the viral video of Jennifer’s first breaths with new lungs here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cq6wjjN73Q0&feature=emb_title

Due to COVID-19 this will be our last episode of Breaking Through. As we look to close this chapter, we’d love to hear what the podcast has meant to you – please send us your feedback at volunteer@cff.org (mailto:volunteer@cff.org).

Rob Ronnenberg: Shaved Legs and New Lungs

With the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic changing our way of life this month, Breaking Through opted to feature one of our most popular episodes in our show's history, our interview with Somer Love.

Somer is an adult living with CF, and was the 2019 VLC Alex Award winner. She's also an all-around amazing person. As a force of positivity in the world of cystic fibrosis, Somer has dedicated her life to giving back to the CF community and helping others pursue their dreams. She sat down with Kristen to talk about growing up with CF, starting her own organization, and how she maintains her positive outlook on life.

Next month, we will be back with a new interview from a member of the Tomorrow's Leaders program. In the meantime, you can find important answers to frequently asked questions about COVID-19 on the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's website (https://www.cff.org/Life-With-CF/Daily-Life/Germs-and-Staying-Healthy/What-Are-Germs/COVID-19-Community-Questions-and-Answers/). We hope that you stay informed, safe and healthy.

(Originally recorded and posted April 2019)

Somer Love: A Message Of Love We Can All Use Right Now

Jaci and her husband Drew are traveling from Iowa to Washington, DC this week attending their fifth March on the Hill, advocating for their son Major, who has cystic fibrosis. But Jaci’s story is so much more than just her advocacy work. She has received numerous awards professionally, and just a few weeks ago, she was honored as one of Des Moine’s 40 under 40. Jaci sat down with Kristen to share her professional life, her personal life, and how she manages the two while caring for a child with CF.

Jaci Strube: Pulling It All Off

MaryBeth Hyland believes that we all share the desire to know and return to our authentic selves, at work, home and within. She has built a sterling reputation as a builder of corporate cultures and a so-called "Millennial Specialist". Following her successful and high-profile tenure at a global non-profit, she used her expertise to start her own company and then helped found the Tomorrow’s Leaders program of the CF Foundation.
But a lot of that success came from a childhood that was marked by deep trauma. In this month's episode, she explains to us how you can extract what you need from past pain, and leave the rest behind.

MaryBeth Hyland: Pulling Wisdom From A Wound

When he was 2-years-old, his parents had the good sense to put a tennis racket in Jon Norberg's hand. Jon would go on to spend his youth traveling around the world as a top-ranked tennis player, first as an amateur and then as a pro. On the court, he was in control and knew exactly what he wanted. But when time and injuries conspired to end his career, things were less certain. This month, Kristen spent time talking with Jon about how he made the crucial decision to get into investment and retirement planning, reigniting his passion after a chapter ends, and how his younger brother with cystic fibrosis inspired him along the way.

Julie Riedy: You Don’t Choose Who You Love

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