"I try to reassure everyone who has been affected by this disease that CF isn't the end of the world if you don't want it to be."
The experience of living with cystic fibrosis is markedly different today than it was decades ago. Thanks to the discovery of the CF gene, the availability of effective drug therapies and advances in technology, the 30,000 Americans who deal with the disease day in and day out are living longer and fuller lives. In a word, they are thriving.
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Podcast 93: Brian Pendarvis - CF and Relationships

Bryan Pendarvis is 21 years old and lives with cystic fibrosis. Bryan, who’s from Louisiana, is in his senior year at Southeastern University, where he is studying microbiology. Bryan is exercising, studying hard, in an intimate relationship, and LIVING-BREATHING-SUCCEEDING through compliance.

  • Bryan was diagnosed prenatally, as his older brother also had CF.
  • “Staying active and trying to live a normal life and do everything that any normal person does, including dating, is my focus,” says Bryan.
  • He enjoys all sports, especially baseball, softball, jogging and weightlifting.
  • Bryan started dating around age 13. Dating made Bryan take better care of himself, as he wanted to be “normal” and not show signs of weakness.
  • “When dating I look for someone that is compassionate, communicates, and willing to understand. I did not ask for CF, I was born with it,” he says.
  • On telling someone that you are dating about your disease: “First, I want her to get to know me for who I am and secondly for cystic fibrosis. When the time is right, I start with the basics and do not overwhelm them. I try to be subtle.”
  • Bryan’s relationship with his mother and older brother, Shaun – who passed away from CF a little more than a year ago – have had a major impact on his life. “My mom is always there for me and helps me overcome obstacles. My brother Shaun taught me how to live with CF and how it should NOT hold you back.”
  • Bryan on relationships: “Family is what matters and what is at heart …”

This “LIVING. BREATHING. SUCCEEDING.” Podcast/Vodcast series is the 1st in a series of 12 made possible through an unrestricted educational grant from Genentech to the Boomer Esiason Foundation.

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