Brad Johns
Heroes of Hope Panel member and cystic fibrosis (CF) advocate Lisa Yourman sat down with our newest hero, Brad Johns, 39. They discussed how he manages CF with the support of his loving family, and how he stays on top of his treatments while working towards his doctorate in education.
Lisa: Having CF, teaching full time, and working towards your doctorate must be tough. What is a normal day for you?
Brad: My day starts very early. Since classes start at 7:20 a.m., I get up at 4:30 a.m. to do my treatments. I always do my treatments before and after work. On top of all that, I am working on my doctorate in education, so my day is pretty packed. I try to manage everything the best that I can so I can be the best person, husband, and father possible. There is so much going on in my life that I have to make sure that I stay positive about everything I do.
Lisa: It sounds like you are an extremely busy person. How do you manage everything?
Brad: I manage everything with the help of my loving and beautiful wife, who is always there for me and someone I can always count on. She is a wonderful mother who makes sure everyone is taken care of. It’s hard because during the week, I’m not home often because my schedule is so hectic and when I do finally get home, I do my treatments before I go to bed. If it weren’t for her, nothing would be possible. I couldn’t ask for a better partner to be by my side through this journey.
Lisa: What were your parents like growing up? What advice would you give to parents who are raising a child with CF?
Brad: My advice would be to make sure that their child stays well. Try not to be overbearing and make sure you don’t prevent your child from doing the things he or she wants to do. I think it’s extremely important to let your child see what’s out there and enjoy life. Growing up, I was a very normal kid. My parents let me do whatever interested me and supported me every step of the way. I played baseball and football, and in high school, I joined the marching band. My parents were also very involved in my therapy routines and attended all my doctor’s appointments. Back then, my parents did chest clapping on me two or three times a day, so it was a lot to handle. Living with CF, a person can’t be around smoking, and my dad always made it clear that no smoking was allowed around me. My dad wanted to make sure that I had the best quality of life.
Lisa: Now that you are 39 years old, what advice would you give to someone your age with CF who may be struggling to adhere to treatments?
Brad: Now that I am 39, I make sure I stay on top of my treatments so that I can lead the healthiest life possible. I would tell someone my age that it is important to have a positive attitude and keep focusing on the right things that keep you staying well. I always tell people to be more productive in life so that they can keep their bodies healthy. You have to find the time to do your treatments and get into that routine and stick with it each and every day. I don’t necessarily like sitting with my vest on and doing my breathing treatments while my kids are playing in the house. But I have to remind myself that if I don’t do my treatments, then I’m not only cheating myself — I’m cheating my family.
Lisa: You are blessed with three beautiful children. Tell us about your family’s journey and the hardships you and your wife faced and what advice you would give to a family with CF trying to conceive.
Brad: I was about 14 or 15 years old when I was told that it is extremely difficult for men with CF to conceive. At the time, it didn’t really mean much to me, but as I got older and was newly married, it became a paramount issue for me and my wife. My wife’s gynecologist recommended a reproductive fertility specialist for us to meet with and go over our options. We met with the specialist and hit many roadblocks from there. It was a really hard time and one of the toughest experiences my wife and I have ever endured. After a difficult period of trying and trying, my wife became pregnant through IVF, and nine months later, we had our first child, Josh. After five years, we had twins, Justin and Elyzabeth. It was a long road, but it was all worth it. My dream to have a family came true. I would tell a family who is trying to have a baby that it is important to talk to their doctors about their options because every situation is unique.
Lisa: What role has education played in your life and why did you decide to become a teacher?
Brad: In high school, graduating fifth in my class, education played a big part in my life. I always knew I wanted to be a teacher because I loved being around kids and being in a position where I could help them out any way I could. When I graduated college in 1994, I started teaching and fell in love with it. I wanted to keep going with my career and see what else was out there. I finished my master's and my specialization in administration, but that wasn’t enough for me and I knew I wanted more. As of now, I am working on my doctorate in education and will be done with it in July 2012. Teaching to me is a great career to be in. I enjoy coming to work every day and teaching my students new materials but teaching myself at the same time. Living with CF and being a teacher is hard work, but the reward of helping a child makes it all worth it.
Please note: The information contained in these Heroes of Hope™ Living with CF award recipient biographies is not regularly updated. This Hero was interviewed on June 20, 2011. This information is representative only of the moment in time in which the Hero was interviewed.PUL0000626800
