Leveraging Community Support for Caregivers
By Jhoanna Rae Marquez, PT, DAC, INHCIsolation can accompany chronic condition management. CF infection control protocols create real barriers to in person gatherings with other CF families. Yet the need for connection with people who understand remains.
Digital communities offer a way to connect without exposure risk. BreatheStrong+ provides a virtual platform specifically designed for the CF community, combining fitness tracking, wellness education, and peer support. The program is free for anyone in the U.S. with cystic fibrosis and a small donation is requested of others.
Members earn points called Footprints for three types of activities: fitness (tracked through connected devices or manual entry), wellness activities (like trying a new healthy recipe or getting adequate sleep), and fundraising for BreatheStrong CF. As you accumulate points, you become eligible for incentives including eligibility to apply for an AffloVest grant.
The platform creates what psychologists call “positive reinforcement” for healthy behaviors that might otherwise feel like obligations. When you log a workout or wellness activity, you’re not just checking a box; you’re contributing to a visible measure of progress and connecting with others doing the same.
The program also offers resources beyond the point system, including educational content on nutrition, mental health, and exercise specific to CF management.
More importantly, you’re part of a community that gets it. Other members understand the reality of fitting in treatments, managing anxiety around health changes, and balancing normal life with chronic illness management. That shared experience provides emotional resilience that’s hard to find elsewhere.
You can access BreatheStrong+ and learn more at https://breathestrongcf.org/breathestrongplus/.