Athlete Name: Kerri Boucher
Age: 41
Hometown: Amherst, NH
Education: Bachelor's Degree in Law & Government
Tell us a little about yourself
I was diagnosed with CF at the age of 5 and have one sister, Mallory, who also has CF. Our parents have always supported us in anything we chose to do whether it was school, work, or other activities. They also always told us to do our best to stay healthy so that when a new treatment or cure is found, we would be healthy enough to receive it. That’s what I try to do. Growing up, CF wasn’t an issue until I was in my 20’s. My lung functions started to decrease while my hospital visits increased. I didn’t like the trend but there wasn’t much I could do about it until I was able to enter the Phase 3 trial for Kalydeco. It literately changed my life. Since then, my lung functions increased and I decided to do things that I had never been able to do before. I received my Black Belt in Taekwondo and started running with my husband, Eric. We haven’t looked back and together, we will be running the NYC Marathon this year with Team Boomer.
“I want to be able to show others that anything is possible.”
Tell us what motivates you the most.
I want to be able to show others that anything is possible. There was a time when I thought I’d never be as active as I am but I was lucky enough to have this opportunity and I can’t waste it. I want to use it to help support others with CF and continue to raise money to find a cure.
What is your favorite Team Boomer memory?
The Team dinner for the NYC Marathon last year is my favorite memory so far. It was so inspiring to get to talk with other runners about their experiences with training and why they were running.
What is your best fundraising tip?
I contact everyone that I know whether it’s by mail, email, or social media to let them now that I am running for CF and why. We’ve also been really successful with yard sales. Most people are happy to get rid of the extra items they have around the house so they don’t mind donating them to the cause. Over the past two years, we’ve raised about $2,000 from just having yard sales.
Why do you exercise?
To stay healthy and keep my lungs clear. There are days when I just don’t feel like exercising but after I do, I feel much better.
What is your go to song when you are working out?
I don’t listen to music when I run because I usually go with my Husband, Dad, or my Sister. I do a lot of talking instead :). If did run with music, it would be something with a beat to keep me going!
