by Lydia Fielder
Fayetteville, ARK — Last week, “Five Feet Apart” movie hit theaters following teenagers who fall in love while undergoing treatment for cystic fibrosis (CF) in the same hospital. For those in the CF community, the film’s plot is controversial. Mackenzie Jobe, a University of Arkansas senior, is a student battling cystic fibrosis.
Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease that causes a buildup of thick mucus in the lungs, according to the CDC. CF causes ongoing lung infections and makes it hard to breathe over time. CF also affects other parts of the body, including the pancreas, and can make it difficult to digest food and maintain a healthy weight.
“I’m a little hesitant to see the movie because I’m not sure about Hollywood romanticizing something that’s so serious to people,” Jobe said. “I’m also a little concerned that it only shows people who are severely sick with CF.”
Jobe undergoes one to two hours of self-treatment daily. This includes wearing a vibrating vest, breathing through a nebulizer or inhaler, and taking multiple pills before every meal. She alternates months on extra medication, sometimes extending her treatment time.
“Five Feet Apart” is just one representation of life with cystic fibrosis, according to the CF Foundation. CF is a complex disease and the types and severity of symptoms can differ widely from person to person.
Jobe said her mother saw the film first in order to recommend whether or not she should watch it.
“My mom said it actually is pretty accurate and that it was okay, but the whole story is set in two months, not a whole lifetime of someone with CF,” Jobe said. “I’m still deciding if I want to see it.”
Jobe was part of a clinical trial that recently announced positive results, stating the study is a step in the right direction for those who fight to end the disease.
“It gives me a lot of hope for the future to find a cure,” Jobe said. “It’s been very beneficial to the people who have gotten to take them.”