Breathe in. Breathe out. Easy, right? Not for everyone.
Jennifer Burt '15 was born with cystic fibrosis, a life-threatening disorder that wreaks havoc on a person’s lungs and digestive system.
Despite this, the business management major never let her diagnosis slow her down or prevent her from being engaged at Keuka College. During her four yeas on the women’s lacrosse team, she ranked third all-time in career goals and assists. She was fourth in career points and led the College to back-to-back NEAC postseason championships. Throughout all this, Jennifer never used her condition as an excuse.
“I used cystic fibrosis as a motivator to push myself harder. My coaches knew, but not very many of my teammates knew, and I was just fine with that. No reason to get attention or sympathy when I didn’t need, want, or deserve it,” she says.
Jennifer told her teammates about her condition during her senior year, and that motivated them to join the fight against cystic fibrosis. As a result, they hosted Keuka College’s first Cystic Fibrosis Awareness game, raising money to help families who have a child diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis.
“I’m honored that my teammates are willing to participate in this,” Jennifer says. “A handful of women on my team have been with me every step of my college career, and they have always been accepting and supportive of me. I’m so grateful to have them help raise awareness.”
