“Joanna is a 32 yr old woman living with cystic fibrosis (CF). After doing poorly on a recent pulmonary function test, Joanna confided in her social worker that she was grappling with bad anxiety. The anxiety was affecting many facets of Joanna’s life, including her breathing test results. The social worker discussed methods for Joanna to attempt to reduce her anxiety levels. Joanna indicated during this conversation that she really enjoyed working out. She used to go to the gym regularly with a personal trainer. When the social worker asked Joanna why she no longer goes to the gym, Joanna admitted that she had to cancel her membership due to lack of funds. After moving out of her parents’ home and into her own apartment, Joanna could no longer afford both her gym membership and the cost of living independently. She considered asking her parents for money, but decided against it because her parents were already struggling with Joanna’s independence. The social worker was able to use the Muriel’s Breath of Life Fund to provide Joanna with six months of a gym membership so that she could reconnect with her personal trainer, and attempt to reduce her anxiety.”
