As college graduates take the next step in their lives, their debts may seem overwhelming, but for students who battle chronic illnesses, their educational expenses plus medical bills can be insurmountable.
Ashley Guthrie, agricultural economics junior, knows this story all too well. Guthrie has battled cystic fibrosis for the past 22 years, and a double-lung transplant is her best chance at a normal, disease-free life.
"Since I have had it my whole life, I really have never known any other way," Guthrie said. "It's just part of me."
Cystic fibrosis is a genetic mutation that stops the production of protein in the cells of the lungs, which causes abnormally thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections, according to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
The disease has been a nuisance throughout most of Guthrie's life, and it will eventually cause so much mucus to build up in her lungs they will no longer be functional.
Guthrie has been on the donor waiting list since November 2002. The two-year wait is more than half over, and Guthrie said she expects to receive a double-lung transplant in November 2004.