For Laree Wools, there’s nothing worse than watching her son, Marcus, struggle to breathe.
Marcus, 6, has cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder that complicates breathing and digestion. Marcus was diagnosed at age 3; a newborn screening at the hospital missed the disorder. The diagnosis brought some relief, but also frustration. “Before he turned 3, we had probably taken him to the hospital 25 or 30 times,” said Wools.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cystic fibrosis affects around 35,000 people in the U.S.
