What We Need - Melissa Shiffman

April 21, 2020

My name is Melissa Shiffman and I am an adult with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and a mother of a child with celiac disease. I am from New York, NY but am quarantined in NJ. The COVID-19 emergency has forced my family to vacate our home, as we live in a heavily populated apartment complex and the risk of COVID was too substantial to leave our apartment to use the garbage chute, the elevators, the laundry room, etc. I was also in the middle of a clinical trial for a groundbreaking CF drug and had to drop off because research visits were cancelled and I did not feel safe going to a lab for the testing required.

I am worried about getting sick and not being able to access my CF specialist other than telemedicine. I worry that we have been having such a hard time getting gluten-free groceries delivered for my son. I am especially worried about state policies that value the lives on non-disabled individuals over those of us with pre-existing conditions. I worry that we will not be able to get home for a long time