Groundbreaking Iowa research helps cystic fibrosis patient defy expectations

When Lidgett was 6 months old, her parents, Amy and Tony Lidgett from Traer, Iowa, noticed she was struggling to grow. Their pediatrician offered suggestions and monitored her progress, but by her first birthday, Lidgett still hadn't gained enough weight. She was referred to University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children's Hospital to be evaluated for failure to thrive, a diagnosis for children whose weight is significantly below average.

It was during this testing that Lidgett was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, a condition that was considered a fatal childhood disease for decades.

"It was very scary at that moment," Amy Lidgett says. "When you hear your child has a genetic disease you're not familiar with, all the sirens go off. It was overwhelming. A new normal started for us that day."

This new normal included a strict regimen of medications, percussive treatments, and respiratory therapies. However, the Lidgetts were determined to give their daughter a full and rewarding life.

"They raised me like any other kid, just with more precautions," Grace Lidgett says. "They never told me I was too sick for something. They had every faith in me, so I could have faith in myself."

But even with her parents' support and her determination, Lidgett struggled to confront the severity of her condition.

"In eighth grade, I looked up the average lifespan of someone with CF, and one article said 32 years old," she says. "I had all these big ambitions, like college, marriage, and kids, and I realized I was already halfway done. I hadn't even started my life. I was devastated."

It felt like her race had just begun, and yet the finish line was far too close.