Stories and Resources

Brendan has lived with cystic fibrosis since he was diagnosed shortly after birth. As the only child in his family with CF, he grew up navigating the daily realities of the disease alongside his three siblings and a close-knit family whose support has been central to his journey. Treatments, infection precautions, hospitalizations: these were simply part of life. So, for a long time, there was a quiet but pervasive belief that his future had a ceiling. He grew up thinking that making it to 30 would be a victory. College felt uncertain. A family of his own felt like someone else’s story.

Then, during his teenage years, the FDA approval of the first CFTR modulator he was eligible for marked a turning point. Brendan started treatment in high school, a period that also brought his first Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) Great Strides Walk and a deepening connection to the broader CF community. What had felt like a narrowing future began, slowly, to open.

He went on to earn a degree in Microbiology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, bringing a scientist’s curiosity to the disease he had lived with all his life. From there he built experience across many varied environments in medicine — working at Boston Children’s Hospital, serving as an EMT, and supporting underserved communities through clinical health programs. Each role deepened his understanding of what it means to care for patients as whole people, not just manage a diagnosis. His time as an EMT, in particular, was a pivotal moment in shaping his path forward.

“Never give up. And never underestimate that even a small improvement can make a huge impact in someone’s daily life.“

Now Brendan is in medical school, with a focus on psychiatry and patient-centered care. It is a choice that reflects everything his journey has taught him — that chronic illness exacts a psychological toll alongside a physical one, and that the best physicians understand both. He knows this not from a textbook, but from his personal experience working in healthcare. Outside of medicine, he stays active through long-distance running and spends time with his family and friends as a restorative practice.

In 2025, Brendan was recognized with the Frances Pew Hayes Hope in Action Award by the Massachusetts/Rhode Island Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. It is a distinction that speaks to both his advocacy and what his life represents: someone who grew up with an extremely difficult medical diagnosis, and who chose to transform that experience into a calling to both inspire and heal others. When Brendan met with the Sionna team at a recent company meeting and shared his story, he had a deep impact on every person in the room — a reminder of exactly who this work is for.