Deadlift and Donuts: Jennifer McKinnon is fierce

Jennifer McKinnon is fierce. Doctors said Jennifer wouldn’t live past the age of three.

Today, she’s a single mom of twins, an unstoppable advocate who’s raised over a million dollars for cystic fibrosis research, and the founder of Just One More Breath. Her story is proof that while CF is tough, Jennifer is tougher, and that hope, when held fiercely, can change everything.

Jennifer was born in the 1970s with cystic fibrosis, a time when the disease was still cloaked in uncertainty and fear. Few children with CF lived to see adulthood, and the treatments that exist today were still decades away. From the very beginning, every breath she took was a small act of defiance. Hospital rooms became her playgrounds, IV poles her silent companions, and the steady rhythm of nebulizers the soundtrack of her childhood.

But even in those sterile rooms filled with machines and medicine, Jennifer’s spirit burned bright. She refused to let CF define her — or defeat her. Through endless hospital stays, setbacks, and the exhausting daily grind of treatments, she found reasons to laugh, to dream, and to keep fighting. Every milestone, every birthday, every deep breath, became a victory.

Then came 2019, a year that would rewrite her story once again. With the arrival of Trikafta, the groundbreaking CF modulator, Jennifer’s world shifted. Suddenly, life felt lighter — her lungs stronger, her body more capable. For the first time, she could picture a future not limited by her disease but expanded by possibility. She could plan, imagine, and live, truly live, in ways she once only dreamed of.

Yet Jennifer’s story isn’t just about survival; it’s about transformation. Rather than turning inward, she turned outward — channeling her strength into action. She’s raised over a million dollars for cystic fibrosis research, driven by the belief that every dollar brings us closer to a cure. She became a mother to twins through the extraordinary gift of her sister, proving that family and love can find a way even when the odds seem impossible.

Today, Jennifer stands as a single mom, a tireless advocate, and the voice behind Just One More Breath, a platform dedicated to raising awareness, sharing stories, and inspiring others to keep pushing forward ... one breath at a time.

Her journey is a powerful reminder that life with cystic fibrosis is unpredictable, yes, but it is also breathtakingly beautiful. It’s a life lived with intention, courage, and grace. Jennifer’s story teaches us that even when the odds seem insurmountable, resilience can turn pain into purpose, and hope can carry you through the darkest storms.

Because for Jennifer, every breath is more than survival.
It’s a celebration of strength, of love, and of the limitless power of the human spirit.

Jennifer on IG: https://www.instagram.com/just.onemorebreath/?hl=en

Website: https://jennifer-mckinnon.com/?

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