Sophomore at Staunton River Combats Her Cystic Fibrosis Through Her Love of Sports

Lynsey and her brother, Jonathan, were diagnosed before they even reached two years of age. In fact, Lynsey was only five months old when doctors caught the disease. This is not uncommon, as approximately 75% of people with cystic fibrosis are diagnosed at such a young age, specifically before age two.

Being able to diagnose at such an early stage can make a significant impact on treatment and its success. When doctors begin to administer treatment early in the patient's battle with cystic fibrosis, the course of the disease can be altered, as well as the patient's overall health.

Of course, like many diseases, symptoms of cystic fibrosis are very personal and vary from patient to patient. The severity also differs, which makes blanket treatment impossible. Physicians have to have a very individual relationship with the patient in order to best administer proper treatment. Ball has a demanding schedule of breathing treatments and pills she must follow daily, but they have helped her significantly. Because she was diagnosed so young, she has been able to avoid certain hardships sometimes associated with the disease. The treatments have come to feel like second-nature to her as well, due to the fact that she began at such an early stage in her life. She can hardly remember a time when she wasn't taking the pills and breathing treatments, so they do not bother her in the least, especially because she knows how much they help her to live the life she loves.

Ball explained, "We’re very fortunate to be as healthy as we are ... I just go with the flow; it doesn’t really bother me. I’ve always had it, so I don’t know anything else. This is how I live. I’ll never know what a normal person breathes like."