Irene Marra and Lynn Stackrow met in December 2015 during the annual Christmas Tea at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Phoenix. It was one of those serendipitous moments—both women were just a month apart in their lung transplant journeys. Irene had received her new lungs in June 2015, while Lynn in July. That day marked the beginning of a connection that, over time, became ten years of shared experiences.

To celebrate their tenth “lungiversary,” Irene and Lynn journeyed to the Grand Canyon to support Lynn’s daughter, Danielle, who was taking on the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s biannual Rim-to-Rim Extreme Hike. To participate in the 21.5-mile trek across the canyon, each hiker was required to raise a minimum of $4,000. Funds that go directly toward advancing research, awareness and support for those living with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). CF is a progressive genetic disease that affects the lungs, pancreas, and other organs. While progress has been made, we still lose precious lives to CF every year. Hikers walk not just for the challenge, but for the hope of a future free from CF.

At the pre-hike dinner, each person at the table took a moment to share their connection to Cystic Fibrosis. When it was Lynn’s turn, she stood and spoke from the heart. As the only person in the room living with the disease, she offered a moving thank-you to the hikers for their dedication and fundraising efforts. It’s because of people like them that groundbreaking research continues—and why she’s still here. Her words landed with emotion and honesty.

Diagnosed with CF at just six months old, Lynn Stackrow spent much of her early life in and out of hospitals. Her childhood was shaped by treatments, IV antibiotics, and the loss of friends to the same disease. At age 12, she began hospital stays three to five times a year, each lasting weeks. Through her struggles, she remained spirited, often playing pranks and games with nurses and fellow CF patients. As a teenager, faced with the reality of a shortened life expectancy, Lynn rebelled—until her parents encouraged her to take a Make-A-Wish religious pilgrimage to Europe. She became the first Make-A-Wish recipient in New Hampshire. Although she didn’t return with a cure for CF, she came back with a renewed perspective on life. Lynn earned a Bachelor’s degree, raised two children, and navigated the increasing challenges of her illness. In 2014, she left her job due to rising oxygen needs and began transplant evaluations. After being turned down at Columbia in NYC because of limited support resources, she relocated to Arizona where her mother and sister lived. Lynn received her transplant at St. Joseph’s in July 2015, the same year her son graduated from high school.

Lynn and Irene had been tossing around ideas for how to celebrate their 10-year lung transplant anniversary. So, when Lynn’s mom couldn’t make the trip to the Grand Canyon, Irene stepped in, and the adventure unfolded into something truly special. Dressed in tutus representing Donate Life (blue and green) and Cystic Fibrosis awareness (purple), Lynn, Irene, Danielle, and Danielle’s boyfriend, Spencer, posed at the canyon’s rim to commemorate the moment. While hikers embarked on their early morning trek, Lynn and Irene drove to the North Rim to greet each hiker as they emerged from the depths of the canyon. Lynn sounding a horn, Irene ringing jingle bells, both beaming with pride and emotion. Watching each person conquer that hike was nothing short of inspiring. It was a small, joyful tribute to both Danielle’s hike and the decade Lynn and Irene have spent defying the odds.

The next morning, everyone woke to a surprise snowfall at the North Rim. Wrapped in blankets inside a log cabin with the fire going, they watched the flakes drift down. It was the kind of magic you don’t plan for but never forget. A picture-perfect end to an unforgettable weekend.

Irene, who has many friends with CF who’ve undergone lung transplants and some who have passed away, the experience was profoundly educational and moving. Lynn and Irene thrive today thanks to the gifts of science and organ donors. Their story is one of strength, laughter and tears.

Here’s to another 10 years, and many more adventures ahead!