My Running Journey with Cystic Fibrosis

I have not posted a blog in quite some time! It did not snow in Anchorage, AK until November! That is very unusual. My husband and I  hiked Flat Top with our dogs (11 lb & 9lb mini-dachshunds) in late October. The higher we climbed the more the wind blew and then snow started to fly by us. It was probably around 25 degrees; Oscar and Lola made it half way up the mountain before Lola got too cold and needed to be carried down the mountain. I have been trying to keep up my training since Lost Lake in August. I ran in the Anchorage 'Zombie Half Marathon' on October 12. I also took a trip to Arizona to visit one of my best friends, enjoy warm weather and run in a half marathon with her on November 3. My big run of the year is Lost Lake Run. Lost Lake is one of the only races in Alaska that benefits CF and it is such a grueling course, I wanted to recap team 'Sabrina Fights CF' adventures. I was the only person to run in this race with Cystic Fib

Adam and I after snorkeling in a bat cave! I haven't had an opportunity to update my blog in quite some time. During my lapse in writing I was able to go on a really amazing adventure. I was able to spend 6 days at Natuvu Creek Mission in Fiji. Our destination took about 16 hours of travel time and we made our way from the top of the world (Anchorage, Alaska) to the bottom of the world (Natuvu Mission, Fiji) for a total of nearly 9000 miles! This trip was a mission trip that provided the people of Fiji with free dental care. My husband is a dentist and he works for a wonderful group that believe in volunteering their special skills to help those who do not have the accessibility or income to get dental care. I was initially thinking that Fiji sounded like a honeymoon destination rather than a place to do a mission trip. It was a paradise and gorgeous, but I gained more from this trip than I ever imagined.  I am not a dental professional, so I was tasked with keeping

The weather is starting to warm up and the snow is starting to melt in Anchorage! I went on a 4.5 mile run outside on Easter Sunday, it was absolutely beautiful. For the majority of the winter I have been working my lungs by using the treadmill. This particular run was pretty difficult and my lungs started to ache during the end, but I kept going because I knew that I was stronger than the pain. One of my goals that I wrote down on my list was to run in a race called the 'Lost Lake Run' annually. It is a 16 mile trail/mountain run in beautiful Sweard, Alaska where the proceeds from registration and donations benefit Cystic Fibrosis. The first 7 miles are uphill, but the scenery is remarkable and filled with beauty. Last year I put together a team 'Team Sabrina Fights CF' and we raised $12,500 for this particular race. Lost Lake has been the most challenging and painful race that I have ever personally endured. The fight for CF motivates me to run and raise money so th

Every person on this earth has struggles and feats that they must face and try to stand up to. Our lives are shaken about and what happens next is really the luck of the draw. There are days filled with happiness and bliss, days with anger and hatred and there are days filled with pain or sadness.  Strenuous days leave people feeling defeated and broken down. Lately, I have been reading threads, blogs and discussions of others with Cystic Fibrosis who are outreaching for support. Some are heartbreaking encounters from families who are dealing with loss of a loved one with CF, there are others searching for guidance to cope with their life and there are prayer requests for loved ones in need of encouragement and a miracle. I may not need a lung transplant at this point in my life, but I understand the feeling of anguish and helplessness. I do not take my health for granted, but I also know from experience that this life can be tough. When I was 19 years old I was diagnosed with Non-

My name is Sabrina Smith Walker, I have Cystic Fibrosis and I am a cancer survivor. Here is a snippet about my life: I am 26 years old, and was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. I still reside in Anchorage with my husband, Adam, and our two miniature dachshunds, Oscar and Lola. My friend, Whitney, made this for me when I was in the hospital a few years ago. I was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at the age of 4. I was not diagnosed at birth because I am a quarter Tlingit Indian and it is very rare for someone that is Alaska Native/ Native American to have Cystic Fibrosis. I was told that I would not live past the age of 8, luckily that wasn't true! When I was 18 years old, I was constantly getting lower back pain and whenever I bent over or sat down I would feel shooting pains that would travel down to my feet. I eventually found out that I had a tumor on my spine that was cancerous. I had Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. While all my friends embarked on their new life