Cystic fibrosis patient offers social distancing advice for others with same disease

Stephanie Hansen is encouraging people to protect themselves and people who may be most susceptible to COVID-19

SAN ANTONIO – As the entire nation learns how to practice social distancing, 30,000 Americans with cystic fibrosis already have it down to a science. They avoid mixing in dense crowds, often wear masks during the cold and flu season and never take their lung health for granted.

“I have to be really, really careful, but with COVID-19. I’m taking everything to the next level and even a little after that,” Stephanie Hansen, a lifelong cystic fibrosis patient said.

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When she was just three months old, doctors told her parents of the diagnosis and then warned them that she would likely never see high school graduation.

She’s proven them wrong. Wednesday is Hansen’s 31st birthday.

“I’ll be celebrating in a different way by connecting with all my friends and family virtually. But that’s OK because we’re all being safe,” Hansen said.

Being safe means being proactive by avoiding viruses that weaken her immune system, a matter of life or death for those living with cystic fibrosis.

Hansen said she has always been meticulous about working out and getting fresh air and sunshine. Now with the coronavirus, she wants others to understand that maintaining at least 6 feet of distance from others isn’t an option for her; it’s a daily need. She calls it flexing the compassion muscle.

“That’s compassion and courtesy and just kind of looking out for one another and putting our differences aside, because, you know, COVID-19 doesn’t care about any of that,” Hansen said.

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Dr. Holly Keyt is a pulmonary disease and critical care specialist at University Health and is also an assistant professor with UT Health San Antonio. She says Hansen is one of the 300 or so cystic fibrosis patients in San Antonio who join those with pre-existing lung issues and have a higher risk of complications from the coronavirus.

Keyt said she worries about these patients and asks the public to wear a mask to protect those who are most vulnerable to COVID-19.

“Have one with you all the time. Find one that’s comfortable and don’t go anywhere without it,” Keyt said.

The pandemic may have forced cystic fibrosis patients into further seclusion, but there is potential proof that social distancing works. Keyt says there have only been about 50 or 60 cases in the U.S. of cystic fibrosis patients contracting coronavirus, and of those, most have managed to stay out of the hospital.

According to the National Institutes of Health description of the genetic disorder, it’s easy to see why a highly inflammatory virus like the novel coronavirus is a threat.

“Mucus is normally slippery and protects the linings of the airways, digestive tract, and other organs and tissues. People who have cystic fibrosis make thick, sticky mucus that can build up and lead to blockages, damage, or infections in the affected organs. Inflammation also causes damage to organs such as the lungs and pancreas,” the description reads.

Keyt said while there are many questions about the coronavirus and its intensity, we can learn from the cystic fibrosis experience.

“There still is a lot that we don’t understand about how it’s transmitted, how it causes infection, and so it’s important for us to do the things that we can do that are based on the science that we have from years of battling other similar infections,” Keyt said.


About the Author:

Ursula Pari has been a staple of television news in Texas at KSAT 12 News since 1996 and a veteran of broadcast journalism for more than 30 years.