Boomer Esiason with his son Gunnar. Image Cincinnati.com
I hear a lot of stories about rare diseases and how they affect − and often shorten − people’s lives. And I have spent a lot of time thinking about the research and clinical care that helps people with rare diseases live longer lives.
But I recently had the honor of hearing Gunnar Esiason, son of beloved former Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason, talk about his experiences living with cystic fibrosis, about how the disease stalled his goals as a young man, and about the hope and vibrancy that one clinical trial restored to his life. Gunnar’s story centered for me how critically important this work is − not just to save a life, but to help people thrive.