2022 TCS NYC Marathon

During my first semester at the University of Delaware I walked on to the women’s rowing team. The experience exceeded every one of my expectations; I have never been surrounded by a more kind and hardworking group of people, including one of my best friends, Kate Sneddon. Juggling the demands of both academics and a Division I sport can be a challenge for any student athlete, but I was completely unaware of just how many challenges Kate was navigating outside of school and rowing. It wasn’t until an article was released by our school’s athletic department that I learned Kate was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at the age of 2 and had been battling it ever since. I was stunned, as was the majority of our team. We spent hours at practice everyday with Kate and never once did she mention CF, let alone complain about it; conversations were instead filled with her unapologetically dry sense of humor. Never once did she complain about having to attend countless doctor appointments, take 25 different pills every morning or spend hours a day clearing her lungs with a machine to help her breathe. Never once did she complain about the hardships of this disease because, in the words of Kate, a negative attitude never fixed anything.

Cystic Fibrosis is a hereditary disease that affects the lungs and digestive track. The average life expectancy for someone who has CF as of 2020 is 37.5 years old. You can help rewrite this heartbreaking statistic by donating to my page, which supports The Boomer Foundation. Team Boomer is dedicated to helping people with CF live longer and healthier lives, while providing financial support for research and clinical trials.

It was a privilege to race in Kate’s boat for two of my years on the team. Kate was a rower-turned-coxswain. The role of the coxswain is to motivate an exhausted crew, while steering the most competitive course possible. It is no easy feat, but I can’t think of better person to inspire their teammates than someone who overcomes adversity everyday. I am ecstatic to now have the opportunity to race with Kate in the 2022 NYC marathon!

After years of friendship, I’ve learned Kate intentionally does not waste time dwelling on what she can’t control, but rather makes the absolute best of what she can. She isn't looking for any acknowledgement for being the incredible inspiration she is. In fact she’ll probably hate that I’m writing all this—but there’s something to be said about the people who fight quietly and relentlessly! Kate, your story of positivity and resilience is one the world needs to hear! 

What is Team Boomer

Team Boomer is the athletic division of the Boomer Esiason Foundation.
We work to encourage people with cystic fibrosis to live active, healthy lifestyles.
We welcome any advocate to join the team to raise funds and awareness for the CF community.

How does Team Boomer help?

The money raised by our Team Boomer athletes helps fund our scholarships, transplant grants, disaster relief program, and a number of educational resources.