Sami is 21 and a resident of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She currently has a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Sami is in the process of opening up a creative and performing arts camp for chronically ill teens and young adults called C.H.O.I.R. Stars.

My name is Jordan and I am 20 years old.  I was diagnosed with Common Variable Immune Deficiency (CVID) when I was a teenager at the age of 14.  However, I have been sick since the day I was born.

My name is Karissa and I am a 21 year old college student living with Common Variable Immune Deficiency often referred to as CVID. When I was born I was considered a healthy baby, weighing 5lbs 7oz. and 17 inches long. Not long after I was born I began getting eye infections, ear infections, and colds.

I was born on September 13, 1991.  I was really small as a baby. The doctor put me in a special bed. In fact, I was so small that I had to wear socks from my sister's doll. My head was as big as my mom's fist.

I’m the youngest one in my family. I have an older brother and an older sister...and, of course, my mom and dad.

Sports have always been important to me. My dad coached sports such as basketball, football, and baseball for over 15 years. My brother played football in school. So, I've grown up surrounded by sports.

Brittany Mathews, North Carolina - IDF Teen and Young Adult Council Member

My story begins on October 12, 1989 - that’s the day that I was born. My mom and dad were like any other parents and all they hoped for was a healthy baby girl, but from birth, it was obvious that I was not your typical baby girl. My mom quickly noticed after the doctors handed me to her that she couldn’t put her finger in my hand like she had done with my brothers when they were born. She looked closer and saw that my fingers were webbed together on both of my hands. My parents handled this very well and they looked forward to the day when surgery would correct this. Then, my mom noticed that I was not eating properly. That’s when doctors found out that my medical condition was a bit more severe and that I also had a cleft palate.

My name is Dustin Palmer, and I am 20 years old.  I was a healthy, active child, with the exception of having asthma.  I attended school regularly and was a State Champion in Gymnastics.  By age 7, I had 3 sinus surgeries, my health continued to deteriorate and by age 10 I was no longer healthy enough to go to school or participate in gymnastics due to recurring sinusitis, pneumonia’s and many hospitalizations along with many m