Boost Cadie's Journey from CF to Gymnastics Star

Hi, my name is Cadie. I am 15 years old and am a freshman at Nute High School, located in Milton, New Hampshire. I go to Seacoast Gymnastics Center in Rochester, New Hampshire. I recently competed at Regionals, where all of New England, Pennsylvanian, New Jersey, and Virginia, all competed to see who was the best, and who would compete at Nationals in Anaheim, California. I came in first place all around for the senior Gold level! I even qualified for the Eastern Regional Team!

I was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when I was a baby. Cystic fibrosis is a chronic disease that affects the lungs and pancreas. My body was never able to produce the enzymes that are needed to absorb fat and calories from food. Therefore, I was always very skinny and unhealthy looking. My lungs are very damaged and used to be full of a lot of mucus that made it very hard to breathe.

Between birth and age 12, I have been hospitalized 23 times, which is about 400 days spent in the hospital.

When I turned 12, I was allowed to start a medication called Trikafta that changed my life completely. It cleared my lungs of the mucus that was blocking my air ways, and even helped me gain weight and look healthy.

One massive part of me becoming more healthy was gymnastics. Gymnastics kept me active and moving which helped to loosen mucus blocking my airways. When I was younger and very underweight it was very hard for me to gain muscle because I barely had any fat on my body.

None of the gymnastics coaches gave up on me though. They all believed I could become the best. I am probably the first ever gymnast who has cystic fibrosis to make a Regional gymnastics team. Thirty years ago, teens were rarely healthy enough to participate in any sports.

This is a very big deal, and you could help me get to California and making my dream come true by donating or sharing this page.

Thank you so much.