Mariah Dairy

Why am I skipping this August…

Hi everyone!! 

For those of you who don’t know me well, my name is Mariah Dairy. I’m 21 years old and I have three siblings.

A little bit of background…

Almost 28 years ago, my parents welcomed their first baby girl into the world, my oldest sister Sue. Sue was experiencing complications at a very young age and within just 40 days after she was born, she was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF). 

At the time, my parents had no idea they were both carriers of the CF gene and knew very little about the condition itself. After Sue, they welcomed my sister, Melody who is a carrier of the CF gene. Then came me, Mariah, and I am also a carrier. Finally, my parents welcomed a little boy, my brother Chad, who neither carries the CF gene nor has the condition. Sue was the only child out of us four to inherit the condition. Our family’s journey with cystic fibrosis began with Sue’s diagnosis, and since then it has shaped our lives in more ways than we could have ever imagined.

Growing up, I saw the reality of cystic fibrosis. I remember the endless hospital stays, the early mornings each day awaiting the home care nurses, the sleepless nights, the fear, the tears in my mothers eyes, all the prayers, and the incredible kindness from all kinds of people shown to support Sue and our family. I watched my parents carry a weight that no parent should ever have to carry, and I watched my sister face challenges that most people will never understand or go through their self. She was and still is the most resilient person I know. A soldier of Christ in the best way possible. But if you met Sue today, you would probably never know she has cystic fibrosis. That’s because Sue has never allowed her diagnosis to define who she is. 

She is one of the strongest, kindest and most selfless people I know. She is hardworking, compassionate, caring, and has the biggest heart. You will never catch her without a smile on her face, and I honestly cannot remember a time where she complained about what life had handed her. Through every hospital stay, every setback, and every stage of uncertainty, her faith has remained unshaken. She leans on God in every season of her life, and her faith has always been her greatest strength. If someone asked me who my role model is, my answer has always been, and always will be my sister. Sue has shown me what true resilience looks like. Now, as she carries her third baby, she continues to inspire me every single day. 

Cystic fibrosis doesn’t just affect the person living with it, it impacts their entire family. Our family knows firsthand how important research, early diagnosis and ongoing support are for families living with this condition and ALL genetic conditions. So this August, I’m taking part in the 100 Skips a Day Challenge to raise money for Genes for Jeans and support the incredible work they do in funding research into genetic conditions like cystic fibrosis. It’s only 100 skips a day, but if it helps raise awareness, starts a conversation, or even contributes towards finding better treatments and giving families hope, then every single skip is worth it. If you’re able to donate, no matter how big or small, it would mean the world to me and to so many families like mine. Thank you for reading, thank you for supporting me, and most importantly, thank you for supporting people like my beautiful sister Sue. 🤍