Leah Boren July 2007
Leah Boren has never let her cystic fibrosis (CF) become an insurmountable obstacle in her life. Each day she makes sure to take advantage of the experiences that life offers her as a wife and mother, treasuring time spent with her family and friends. A devoted mother, wife and community volunteer, Leah considers life to be a precious gift, and consistently takes care of herself in order to stay in optimal health.
Leah, who is 25-years-old, confronts the physical, spiritual and emotional challenges of CF head-on by faithfully maintaining her health and exercise routine. She unfailingly takes her medicine, eats a nutritious diet and exercises on a regular basis. Diagnosed with CF since she was a baby, Leah believes that taking good care of herself is the key to successful deal with CF.
“Now with a wonderful husband and baby, it is even more important to me to stay healthy and active,” said Leah. Leah adheres to a complex regimen of medical therapies that includes chest physical therapy, inhaled medications and antibiotics. She understands the importance of compliance and consistency, and recalls that transitioning from being a teenager into adulthood when she attended Calvary Chapel Bible College brought new challenges in adhering to her medical therapies and healthy lifestyle practices. According to Leah, staying compliant to her medical regimen while in college was very challenging. Now, throughout her marriage and pregnancy and the years that have followed, Leah works extremely hard to stay on track in order to be as healthy as possible.
Leah also stays healthy by eating well and staying fit. She follows a nutritious, calorie-rich diet full of plenty of her favorite foods, including any kind of cheese, Thai food and sushi. Leah helps stay fit by chasing after her two-year-old son Levi, whose constant energy helps keep her very active. She also exercises regularly, enjoying biking, lifting weights.
"With Leah's emotional and spiritual maturity, she has shown that she can be a loving mother and wife while taking excellent care of her own health. That is truly inspirational to us all," said Anabel Stenzel, who has CF and co-chairs the Heroes of Hope Living with CF Advisory Panel with her twin sister Isabel. “We are so happy to be able to recognize someone who works hard to stay compliant and healthy, despite the challenges that life throws at her,” said Isabel Stenzel Byrnes, who also has CF.
In addition to spending time with family and friends, Leah dedicates much of her time staying active in her church. While she admits that living with CF is a challenge, she prefers to focus on the positive aspects in life and relies on her family and faith to keep her spirits strong. “With so much to live for and recognizing each day is an exciting opportunity, I will not let CF take over my life. I manage my disease - my disease does not manage me,” said Leah.
Please note: The information contained these Heroes of Hope Living with CF award recipient biographies are not regularly updated. The information only represents the point in time when the Heroes of Hope recipient was honored.
