As she spends time with her family, Becky Keating is looking forward to her future. Keating is a

24-year-old Junction City native that was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) at the age of two, and now is in need of a double lung transplant in order to survive.

Throughout her early years and into her teens she led a normal life like other children her age. She enjoyed extracurricular activities like sports and being with her friends,  but in her junior year in high school she started to notice a change in her condition.

“My childhood was not defined by my CF by any means, my parents kept me in extracurricular activities such as sports which kept my lung function good. My lungs started to decline at a more rapid pace in high school, probably my junior year. This is is the first time it was like,  oh this is kind of scary, this is not normal. Since then they have progressively gotten worse,” said Keating.

Now a college graduate Keating is focusing on her present condition which makes every day activities hard to do by herself.  So she relies on the  support of family and friends.

“My friends have been really great. They keep updated on my Facebook blog ” Blessing’s for Becky”. My biggest support comes  from my family, certainly from my immediate family,  but my extended family has pitched in imaginably so,” said Keating.

According to the doctors and Keating’s father, Jeff Keating,  Becky has passed certain requirements for people needing transplants and once she is on the active list within a few months she should receive her new lungs.

“All the tests she had to go through down in Dallas, she passed with flying colors. Doctors think once she is on the list, within a few months she is going to have new lungs,” said Jeff Keating.

The family is organizing fund raisers to help with the cost of the expenses that will be associated with this type of surgery. Family members will be living in Dallas, Texas for three months while Becky Keating is recovering from the transplant. The fundraising goal is $50,000.

“What we are trying to do  is ask the community to help in building up a fund that will cover her cost for the surgery, living in Texas, and for as long as she is going to be able to survive with her new lungs,” said Jeff Keating.

If you would like to make a donation to help Becky Keating you can go to the Facebook blog the family has put together at www.facebook.com/battlehardbreatheeasy.

The Junction City Brigade Baseball team is also raising money for Becky Keating with “Bats for Becky” you can find more information at www.jcbrigade.com/Bats-for-Becky.html.