Valerie Batz, a 52-year-old with cystic fibrosis (CF), received a double lung transplant 13 year ago. In this podcast, she discusses life “pre and post” her transplant.

Valerie has been happily married for 24 years and is the proud mom of healthy twins who are now 22 years old.  Valerie studied in Paris, majoring in international business, She speaks three languages and has worked for an international computer company. Val’s passion is cooking, especially Italian food, and her dream vacation is to return to Paris for her 25th wedding anniversary.

Valerie is living, breathing and succeeding in Illinois with her beautiful family, and although she still has CF, she breathes easier with her new lungs.

-    Valerie was diagnosed with CF at 22 months old. “I’m grateful to my parents who raised me with high expectations, and treated me like a normal child,” she says.
-    Pre-transplant, Valerie was always sick, everything was an effort, and due to lack of oxygen, she always was tired. “Life pre-transplant was overwhelming, as my FEV’s were less than 20 percent,” Valerie explains.
-    Growing up, Valerie was active in swimming, cheerleading and skiing. Post-transplant, she stays active by biking.
-     “Transplant is not a cure … you trade one disease for the other, but this disease is better, I can breathe,” she says.
-    “Life post-transplant initially is a little bumpy, but you will get through it and it is worth it,” Valerie says.
-    Valerie’s advice: “Don’t touch your face, eyes, nose … that is how we all pick up germs and get sick.”

This “LIVING. BREATHING. SUCCEEDING.” Podcast/Vodcast is made possible through an unrestricted educational grant from Genentech to the Boomer Esiason Foundation.

Kay W., 49 years old with cystic fibrosis (CF), discusses “living life to the fullest as an adult with CF.”

Kay has been married for 22 years and is the proud mom of a 19-year-old daughter, Ashley.  After a successful career in the advertising industry, Kay now does freelance creative direction and graphic design work. She also enjoys jogging and weightlifting to keep her lungs clear.

Kay is living, breathing and succeeding in Illinois with her beautiful family.

•    Kay was diagnosed with CF at age 21, after she attended Purdue University.
•    “I am very happy that I was diagnosed later on in life and that CF was not a major factor in my life as a child – I just led a normal life,” Kay says.
•    Kay considers herself a bit of a “health nut” and is very involved in nutrition, exercise, the “joy factor” (being happy), and being compliant to her medication routine.
•    “I believe in the ‘three eights’ … eight hours of sleep every night, eight hours of exercise every week, and eight hours of the joy factor (fun) every week,” Kay says.
•    “My daughter inspires me to push on in life despite having CF,” she notes.
•    Kay believes in a good quality of life that includes a combination of physical exercise, a positive attitude, and getting out and socializing.

This “LIVING. BREATHING. SUCCEEDING.” Podcast/Vodcast is made possible through an unrestricted educational grant from Genentech to the Boomer Esiason Foundation.