Sweet 16 indeed
Before I was born, my sister Wendy Carol Lipman (16 letters if you’re counting) lived just 16 days. Wendy was born December 18, 1970 and died January 2, 1971. The number of days between Wendy's death and my birth were 976 (which by the way is divisible by 16 - 61 ((the reverse of 16)) x 16 = 976). Maybe my only regret in life is that I never met her. Still her memory has had a profound effect on me. Rarely will I utter the words “life is not fair” and that’s because I have lived longer than the 16 days that my sister was given. Wish for Wendy, the event we started in her memory to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, has helped me to realize that I want to help people. The event coincidentally features 16 teams and 16 CF ambassadors and our greatest fundraising year was...well you probably guessed it, our 16th year.
A big influence for me growing up was Alex Miller Deford (16 letters). Alex lived only 8 years (half of 16) but her story captured people’s attention and helped lead to a huge increase in cystic fibrosis fundraising. Without all of that money raised, I doubt we'd have the research that we have today and people like me may not be alive. The book, Alex: The Life of a Child, written by her father and my role model Frank Deford was the single most important book I’ve ever read. Alex coincidentally was born the same year that Wendy died. Oh, and the book was published in 1984 which of course is divisible by 16.
I was born Andrew Cary Lipman (16 letters). That year, 1973, the median life expectancy for people with cystic fibrosis was approximately 16 years. When I turned 16, I received the gift that changed my life. No, it was not a car. It was my therapy vest. It was the gift, that like a car, granted me independence. I didn’t need my parents for postural drainage (hitting my sides, back and front morning and night to clear the mucus from my lungs) anymore. I could go off to college and make something of myself.
Also, when I was 16, the single biggest positive for CF research happened when the CF gene was finally discovered in 1989. This eventually led to breakthrough drugs in the CF community like Kalydeco and Orkambi which in several cases have greatly improved people's lives.
The biggest influence on my life is my wife Andrea Herz Lipman (16 letters) who just happened to be born in Tennessee, the 16th colony to become a state. I admit I'm reaching. While there may be some doubt regarding the number 16's influence here, there's no doubt regarding the impact that Andrea has made on my life. She has made me a better person and given me two gifts that even outweighed the importance of my vest…my children, Avery and Ethan Lipman (a combined 16 letters but you probably figured that out).
In 2016, I was fortunate enough to receive the Alex Award from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. What was even more of an honor was the man who gave it to me just happened to be my role model and Alex Deford’s father, Frank Deford. I received the award from him 32 years after he published the book about his daughter and we all know what 32 is divisible by.
So you see, it has all come full circle. My life has changed a lot in these 43 years on this planet but two things have remained the same.
I'm kicking cystic fibrosis's butt and the unusual occurrence of the number 16.
Live your dreams and love your life!
Best Wishes,
Andy
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