Five Feet Apart

The movie Five Feet Apart is the first major motion picture about cystic fibrosis--a big deal for the CF community! The entire movie takes place in the hospital and was heavily influenced by a real-life young woman who was living with CF, Claire. Sadly Claire passed away after complications from her lung transplant last year and never got to see the final product. 

I've seen the movie...twice. The same movie, two totally different experiences. 

The first time I saw it I was with my sister, Jen, and my 14-year-old niece. My niece is not a very emotional person and Jen is very supportive and a quiet crier, so while certain parts were extremely emotional, I was also able to leave the theater taking away the funny moments and the positive messages driving the film. They were the perfect people to see the movie for the first time with.  

The second time I saw the movie I was with my husband, Mark, and one of my besties, Didi. This could not have been a more different experience! I wanted them to see the movie because it's as close as they'll get to seeing how isolating stays in the hospital can be--only most stays are even more isolating because there's no steamy hospital romance or CF buddies to gallivant with. It also shows a realistic peek into how CF-fers grapple with their own mortality. 

The movie did achieve those goals...a little too well! To say this movie made them both emotional would be like saying a hurricane is a gentle breeze. Their audible sobs felt like I was looking into the future and the pain I may leave behind in my wake. It makes me cry every time I think about it.

I wanted them to see the movie so they could get a better glimpse into my world, but it turned out I got a glimpse into theirs. A deeply painful glimpse. 

At that moment it hit me like a ton of bricks how CF not only affects me on a daily basis but how much it also affects my nearest and dearest in profound ways. This disease can be lonely at times but I am in no way in this alone. 

So next month when I walk to raise awareness and funding for more life-extending research, I'm no longer walking for the CF community. I'm walking for those who love and support someone living with CF. As I walk, I will honor their sacrifices and feel immense gratitude for the support and love they continuously give. Those connections are what make life worth living and what fuels our fire to keep going when we feel like giving in. 

If you would like to help, you can donate to any one of my teammates here:

Team Pia Vita 2019

But I know how thin we're spread these days. Between school fundraisers, sports fundraisers, Facebook birthday fundraisers, etc. there's constantly something to donate to. So I'd like to try something different this year: I am aiming for donations between $5-25. A handful of small rocks makes more ripples than one big rock and that way I won't feel like a jerk for asking. A win-win!

If you've seen Five Feet Apart, I love hearing others' thoughts about the film so keep 'em coming. I've watched interviews with the writer/director and he made it clear that is intentions were twofold: To raise CF awareness and for everyone watching to reach out to someone they love and appreciate the time they have together. I appreciate each and every person reading this right now. 

To all my friends and family, I will never be able to express how grateful I am to have you on this roller coaster with me. I know it's not always easy but I couldn't bear the ride without you. I love you so!