Chris was born in Lufkin, Texas on Christmas Eve of 1978. He was very sick as a baby, with GI manifestations and failure to thrive. Before he had reached 6 months of age he was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis via a sweat test. Cystic Fibrosis, also known as CF, is a hereditary disorder that is characterized by thick layers of mucus clogging the lungs and causing persistent coughing. Although CF affects mostly the lungs it can also cause problems within the pancreas, liver, kidneys, and intestines. Chris has all the problems that come with CF, rendering him diabetic, unable to breathe, and not being able to digest salt correctly.

Chris has been on oxygen for almost a year because he can no longer breathe without having some sort of difficulty doing so. He’s always been a fairly active person, having a love of the outdoors and always wanting to be out doing something. Having to carry around an oxygen concentrator has put a large dent in his ability to get out and do anything. Trying to remember to take a handful of pills everyday and insulin with every meal has created a lot of stress for him to deal with. Through a partnership with COTA we’re bulding the foundation for his future, a foundation based on a new pair of lungs that have been recommended by all of his doctors. Without new lungs he will most definitely die within the next few years, leaving behind not only a load of grief but a family who needs him.