The Boomer Esiason Foundation (BEF) partnered with Kindbody to help people living with cystic fibrosis (CF) become parents through IVF treatment at one of Kindbody’s 27 fertility clinics nationwide. Two years into the BEF IVF program, ten families have welcomed a baby. This is remarkable because, until recently, people living with CF didn’t live to reach adulthood let alone become parents.
The inspiration behind BEF is Gunnar Esiason, the son of former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason. Boomer’s dedication to combating CF was deeply personal, sparked by Gunnar’s diagnosis at just two years old in 1993. At that time, the prognosis for CF patients was grim, with many not expected to live beyond their teenage years. Determined to change this trajectory, Boomer and his wife Cheryl established BEF aiming to fund research for a cure.
Over the past three decades, Boomer has tirelessly advocated for people living with CF. BEF has raised over $175 million to support the fight against CF and to find a cure for Gunnar and others living with the disease. In 2018, a significant breakthrough occurred when Gunnar participated in late-stage clinical trials for Trikafta, a groundbreaking CF medication. This drug, supported by BEF’s funding, has turned the disease into a manageable ailment for many patients.
Gunnar and his wife Darcy are now proud parents to Kaspar and Mieke. Through BEF’s partnership with Kindbody they’re helping others with CF build families. While CF is primarily thought of as a lung disease, it also causes infertility in approximately 99% of men due to congenital absence of the vas deferens, and may cause infertility in women due to thickened cervical mucus and/or irregular ovulation. Today, 25 families have been part of the program at Kindbody. We are excited to share that ten babies have been born and eight families are currently undergoing IVF treatment to start or expand their families.
May is Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month. Over the coming weeks we will share the stories of families whose dreams of parenthood were made true by BEF and the BEF IVF partnership with Kindbody. Accessible, equitable, and affordable care is our guiding light for all of us at Kindbody and we could not be more proud of this partnership that has made a difference in the lives of so many families.
Check back on Instagram to learn more about these inspirational families throughout the month of May.
*The Esiason’s story was chronicled in the Emmy nominated ESPN documentary “Second Wind: The Boomer and Gunnar Esiason Story,” which aired in December 2024.
