Natalie Rudd July 2008
Natalie is a well-rounded 15-year-old that balances sports, school and community service with ease. Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF) at birth, she doesn't let the condition get in her way of living her life and just being a normal teenager. In fact, she goes out of her way to work hard and do more, giving 110 percent to everything she does.
Compliance is Key
Natalie's parents believe that it is important for their daughter to take ownership of her medical therapy regimen. Each day, Natalie wakes up at 5:20 a.m. so that she has enough time to complete her long medical regimen which includes inhaled antibiotics and medications, digestive enzymes, inhalers and vitamins. Busy with school and other activities, Natalie carries duplicates of her medicines in her purse or carries baggies of pills in her pocket to ensure that her medicines are always close at hand.
High School Activities
To keep her lungs and body strong, Natalie exercises frequently. She is an avid athlete, excelling in a variety of sports. She practices jazz and hip hop moves on her dance team and was one of the few freshmen to make the basketball team. She also plays volleyball and runs track.
Natalie's excellent accomplishments in sports are matched by her academic achievements. An honor roll student, her favorite subject is English, and she hopes to be either an interior designer or a photographer one day.
A Star in the Community
"Despite the daily challenges that Natalie faces, including a time consuming medical routine, she focuses her energies outwardly instead of inwardly, participating in community service and creating a rich social network of friends and family,q said Somer Love, panel member of Heroes of Hope Living with CF and CF activist.
In her spare time, Natalie hangs out with friends, practices the piano, cooks, plays with her pet rabbits and crochets. She is also involved in a number of community service activities. Natalie, her sister Mandie (who also has CF) and her parents participate in Great Strides,® the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's walk/run that occurs around the country to raise money for cystic fibrosis research. In her community, Natalie has volunteered at the food bank and a shelter for battered women. She has also volunteered for the Make a Wish Foundation, which is an organization that enriches the lives of children with life-threatening medical conditions through its wish-granting work. After the Hurricane Katrina disaster, she and her sister created quilts to send down to New Orleans residents who were in need.
Natalie manages to fill each of her days to the brim: whether it is with community service, schoolwork, exercise or any other of her many hobbies, she is passionate about pursuing her dreams and doesn't let the limitations of CF stand in her way. Through her commitment to her health by exercising, staying compliant and maintaining a positive attitude, Natalie truly is a Hero of Hope.
Please note: The information contained in these Heroes of Hope™ Living with CF award recipient biographies is not regularly updated. The information only represents the point in time when the Heroes of Hope recipient was honored.
