About Ben

Ben is a firecracker, a human wrecking ball, a tease, and a lover.  He can push and push your buttons until you think you’re going to explode, and then he cracks that crooked, twinkly smile, and you’re lost in those dimples.  He is stubborn.  He is crazy.  And he loves life.

These strong character traits will serve him well in his battle against cystic fibrosis.  He will need to be a firecracker--to stand up for himself when he is in charge of his own care.  He will need to be stubborn--to keep up with an increasingly demanding treatment routine (especially during his teenage and young adult years, when so many other activities will be so much more appealing).  He will need that sense of humor--to keep things in perspective when his challenges seem overwhelming.  And he will need that loving heart--to remind himself about all the people who stand behind him and fight alongside him when he gets tired of fighting or feels alone.

Ben is starting to understand how CF makes him different, and he is very aware that it makes him miss out on the fun when it’s treatment time and no one else has to stop playing to do vest, or when he has to leave class to go do airway clearance treatments in the health office at school.  We just hope we are helping him to view those differences through a positive lens.

I wish there were a better way to describe Ben using just words, but you really have to just spend some time with him.  The kid has a way of drawing you in and making you fall for him. And he has a truly wicked sense of humor.

When you look at him, and spend time with him, it’s easy to forget about CF.  He’s healthy, he’s happy, and he doesn't look “sick.”  Sometimes we forget too--for just a brief, blissful second--but then he coughs, and we’re reminded again that a cough for Ben is potentially more dangerous, as it can do permanent damage to his lungs if we don’t get rid of it quickly.  We’re reminded that he’s special--that there’s something about him that sets him apart.

The great thing is, his smile reminds us that he’s special too.  His smile reminds us that there’s something about him that sets him apart too.  That’s what you learn about Ben when you spend time with him.  And that’s pretty fantastic.