What do your parents do when you're diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis?  Bethany Bryan's parents took a deep breath and then prepared for the worse but always told their daughter that she wasn't CF and she could do whatever she wanted to do.  Good advice for the 15-plus years the CF didn't present a problem and then...Bethany was truly a woman behind the smile and never told her friends that she was struggling to breathe.  Her parents battled their own mental health issues and her "problems" were small compared to theirs.  She believed her FEARS were bigger than her sickness and she just had to conquer the fears, so she did until she couldn't.  Her solution?  Stop the traditional medications for CF and LET GOD.  Soon she realized that dying wasn't part of THE PLAN for her life and she let GOD bring new medications into her life. Today she is thriving and telling her story through her new book, My Story Continues.  This is one Stand Up & Speak Up story that needs to be heard.   According to the Mayo Clinic, Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited disorder that causes severe damage to the lungs, digestive system and other organs in the body. Cystic fibrosis affects the cells that produce mucus, sweat and digestive juices. These secreted fluids are normally thin and slippery. But in people with CF, a defective gene causes the secretions to become sticky and thick. Instead of acting as lubricants, the secretions plug up tubes, ducts and passageways, especially in the lungs and pancreas. Although cystic fibrosis is progressive and requires daily care, people with CF are usually able to attend school and work. They often have a better quality of life than people with CF had in previous decades. Improvements in screening and treatments mean that people with CF now may live into their mid- to late 30s or 40s, and some are living into their 50s. Bethany Bryan is well on her way to living a LONG, fulfilling life and I'm grateful I had a listening ear.  Join us. Bethany Bryan can be reached at www.BethanyBryan.com Debby Montgomery Johnson is Founder, The Woman Behind The Smile, Inc,  and replays of Stand Up & Speak Up are at www.TheWomanBehindTheSmile.com