Karen Thacker lives in Erie, Colo. Her daughter, Anna Battista, was diagnosed with CF 28 years ago when she was 4 weeks old. The moment Karen heard her diagnosis, she cried, holding her tiny newborn and thinking the worst. She had no idea then that Anna Battista would still be here 28 years later. In 2013, when her daughter was 21, her lungs could no longer support her life: she needed a lung transplant. The world of lung transplants brought another intense layer of learning and changes for everyone, including a temporary relocation from Colorado to Durham, N.C., so she could receive her transplant at Duke University Hospital. When Anna needed a second transplant in October 2019, almost exactly six years after her first transplant, they did it all again, only this time they knew so much more.

Anna has a younger sister and brother. Her parents focused on meeting Anna’s CF needs while also maintaining a relatively normal childhood for her and her siblings. Her parents divorced in 2005, and both have remarried. Now all four parents and her siblings work together to meet Anna’s needs while learning to live in the moment and embrace life.

Karen is a licensed counselor, and her social media and blog revolve around living as emotionally present and healthy as possible: journeyforwardcounseling.wordpress.com, facebook.com/journeyforward, twitter.com/@karenthackerLPC You can find blog posts related to Anna’s transplant journeys in 2013 and 2019.