On March 16th in the Naugatuck High School auditorium, Lauren, 37, and Isaac,8, Brenneman spoke to the sophomore class about living with cystic fibrosis in an attempt to promote awareness about the disease, from which they both suffer.

According to cff.org, cystic fibrosis is a life-threatening, genetic disease that causes persistent lung infections and progressively limits the ability to breathe. Patients who suffer from cystic fibrosis experience a mucus producing cough, repeated lung illnesses, and inflamed nasal passages, among others, according to the Mayo Clinic. Cystic fibrosis requires daily care, but improvements in treatments are now allowing people with the disease to live into their 30’s or more, as opposed to the 1980’s when they would only live into their early teens.  

Assembly organizer and Naugatuck High School biology teacher, Mrs. Beth Rojas brings the Brennemans to the high school every year because she had a childhood friend who died of cystic fibrosis; she also worked with patients with the disease when she was a genetic counselor. She feels a great deal of sympathy for those afflicted with the disease, and strives to increase awareness and promote the search for a cure.

Lauren Brenneman spoke about a clinical trial that she recently started. This drug, VX-661, will hopefully help the effectiveness of a drug she currently takes, which she also found through a clinical study. She explained to the students what it is like living with cystic fibrosis on a daily basis, while also raising a child that has the disease. She also showed a video that chronicled her and her son’s daily treatments and struggles.

The Brennemans and Mrs. Rojas also used the assembly as an opportunity to discuss and promote the Great Strides race, a fundraiser in which thousands of people walk across the country each year to support the foundation’s mission of finding a cure to cystic fibrosis.

This year’s Great Strides race will be held on Saturday, May 21st from 10-12 (check-in at 9) at Ballentine Park in Southbury, Connecticut.

Many students who attended the assembly were just hearing about the disease for the very first time. Glorianese Ortiz, sophomore, said, “I didn’t even know this disease existed, but I learned how hard it is to live with cystic fibrosis. I feel grateful for my health and appreciate with the speakers had to say.”

This assembly successfully gave the students everything they needed to know about cystic fibrosis and inspired many to help in the future.