CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Lucas Allen was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at 18 months old. Since then he's taken medication and undergone regular treatment to help combat the disease.
"Cystic Fribrosis is a chronic genetic lung disease that not only effects the lungs but other parts of my body," says Allen "I did the math, I've done treatments for almost a year of my life. If you added up all the times I've sat down and done treatment it's added up to a year now and I'm only 27."
When he was young, the disease was a source of fear. He was hospitalized 3 times during middle and high school, sometimes gone for up to 14 days. Soccer was one of his escapes, but he often felt he had to do more than other players just to be seen as equal.
"I've always dealt with people telling me I couldn't do things, especially at a younger age. I always felt like I was battling other people's perception of what I'd be able to do," says Allen. Those perceptions would often times create more fear, "Because of that I felt like a lot of times it was hard. I felt isolated and alone. A lot of fear crept in, so especially in my youth I felt fearful to take the plunge and do things."
Cystic Fibrosis, however, doesn't go away. Lucas Allen decided that he wasn't going away either. It didn't happen instantly or in a singular moment of triumph, but rather Allen just kept pushing forward.
"Persistence, consistency," says Allen, "Just keep going, every day, get out of bed, do something you enjoy, push yourself and ultimately stay fearless."
This is most readily personified with distance running. What started as a COVID hobby to pass the time has turned into a lifestyle. First it was a few miles, then a half marathon, then a marathon, then an Instagram page to inspire others facing a similar plight, and next up it'll be the New York City Marathon. During his training he'll raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
"My goal is $5,000. I would love to raise much more than that. The more money we raise the more lives we save."
Allen knows that there's others out there who have fears of their own, and that they just need to keep going.