Meet the Community | My Cayston Community™

Brian Callanan

Living with cystic fibrosis (CF) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa)

I am the founder of the Cystic Fibrosis Lifestyle Foundation (CFLF). My mission is to educate through speaking, writing, and providing experiential education to others with CF on the mental and physical effects of exercise. I have an active lifestyle which has helped me build self-esteem and create a meaningful support system. My degrees in psychology and education have helped me realize the important connections between physical effects and mental well-being.

Carlye Tomczyk

APRN, CNP Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and Associate Director of Clinical Care – University of Minnesota Pediatric CF Center

I have had the honor to partner with CF patients and their families and provide CF care since 2008. Over the years, I have enjoyed building strong relationships with patients and their families. In addition to providing clinical care, I’m active in local CFF chapter events and serve on the Board of Directors. I have also spoken and moderated sessions at the annual North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference since 2017.

Chelsea Spruance

Living with CF and Pa

I am a yoga teacher, sailor, and adventurer. I currently live on the island of St Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. My passions include traveling, sailing, and being a role model for others with CF to live life to the fullest. Even though I was diagnosed with CF at 4 months old, I have pushed myself to achieve my life goals. I graduated college with honors and co-chaired BreatheCon in 2019 to help support others who live with CF.

Cheriz K.

Living with CF and Pa

I’m a spouse, foster mama, and I work in social media management, freelance blogging, and sales. I was diagnosed with CF at birth due to complications. I am involved in a handful of CF Foundation national committees. I also started a Great Strides event in my hometown, and our national team has been fundraising for CF since 2014. I’m passionate about CF education and awareness, which is why I started public speaking and blogging in 2012.

chris kvam

Living with CF and Pa

I'm a dad, spouse, and attorney who happens to have CF. Growing up with CF pushed me to maximize my abilities and gifts despite my diagnosis. I try to figure out what is most important to me and do my best to accomplish it. That applies to all areas of my life: parenthood, academics, exercise, work, etc. This also applies to developing the ability to work with my care team in managing my treatments.

claire wineland

Claire was a daughter, friend, activist, speaker, philanthropist, and author. She was born with CF and sadly passed away in September 2018 at the age of 21. She inspired all who followed her journey. Claire committed her life to traveling the world and speaking about her experience—the painful parts, the beautiful parts, and the funny parts—with the goal of breaking down barriers that we tend to have with people who live every day with chronic illness.

emily schaller

Living with CF and Pa

I'm the founder of the Rock CF Foundation and a speaker with a positive outlook on life who loves to exercise and enjoys craft beer. I relish bringing joy to those I love and kindness to others I meet along the way.

kat porco

Mom of son with CF and Pa

I am a health communications consultant, an integrative health coach, a blogger, and a speaker. However, the most important job I have is to be an advocate for my son and teach him to prioritize self-care and disease management. We live in beautiful Montana and take every opportunity to get out into the mountains and live the life we love, while taking care of our health.

lisa greene

Mom of son and daughter with CF

I'm an author, international speaker, college professor, and advocate for families. I'm also a solo mom of 2 young adults with CF. We love living in the Seattle, Washington area, and all of the beauty it offers. As a mom, my focus has been to raise my children to be hopeful, resilient, and empowered to pursue their dreams. As a professional parent educator, my mission is to help families learn practical tools and strategies to deal with the everyday challenges of raising kids. My message is: "We can do it!"

Marco Rosales

Living with CF and Pa

I live in beautiful Bellingham, Washington, with my partner Sarah and our two Labrador retrievers Cedar and Nova. Living in the Pacific Northwest, I enjoy hiking, soccer, and all the outdoor activities our area has to offer.

mark levine

Living with CF and Pa

I am a husband, stepfather, tennis player, traveler, and full-time engineer with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). I find it important and rewarding to stay involved in the CF community through volunteering, fundraising, and public speaking. I have found that fitting CF into my life is more manageable when I create and maintain a solid routine, along with developing some personal "hacks" of my own.

mary lester

Respiratory Therapist & Clinical Coordinator, Keck Medical Center of USC

I have dedicated a significant portion of my career to working with people with CF to help make their tremendous therapy load more effective and reasonable so that they can spend more time focused on the activities that they enjoy. In addition to my role as a respiratory therapist in clinical care for over 40 years, I have been involved in numerous CF-focused projects, including the Pulmonary Guidelines Committee, CFRT Mentoring Program, NACFC Planning Committee, and the CF Adult Mentoring Project. I have also published several papers on CF respiratory care.

Robin Hill

Living with CF and Pa

I am a daughter, friend, mental health counselor, independent artist, and “CF-er.” I live in Massachusetts with my fiancé (and my biggest CF supporter) and our cat Midnight. I am passionate about disability and mental health awareness, the power of resilience, and spending time with my loved ones. After connecting with CF-ers from around the world, I cannot wait to see what opportunities and developments this amazing community has in store!