Caitlyn Bair's Story

Caitlyn Bair, age 18, San Antonio, TX

A middle child in a family with two non-PKU brothers, Caitlyn, who has classical PKU, says "PKU has taught me so much that I have come to view it as a blessing; it has enabled me to grow up with a strong sense of responsibility and foresight far beyond that of the typical teenager, and I have developed a strong sense of empathy for others along the way. I don’t view PKU as a handicap or a curse whatsoever, and I make sure that no one else has that misconception either."

Caitlyn’s positive and determined attitude is like a radiant beam of light that extends to all aspects of her life according to those who know her. From her role as a flute section leader in the school’s widely known and respected marching band (one of the best in the country) where she inspires her 20-flute section with a "a smile on her face and an infectious humor," to the difficult course work in Advanced Placement calculus and physics that she attacks with intensity and a passion for learning. She excels in her studies, and ranks in the top 3% of her large graduating class at Winston Churchill High School, with a straight-A average. She was one of a small number of students to receive the distinction of National Merit Commended Student based on her performance on the PSAT test and she is a member of the National Honor Society. She also has receiving numerous other awards for her academic excellence, such as achieving the distinction of "Advanced Placement Scholar with Honor."

Her physics teacher describes her as one of the top few students among more than 100 taking an AP course, "one of the most diligent and forward looking students I have ever known." She chose Caitlyn to be part of a small team of students entering the TEAMS competition (Tests of Engineering Aptitude, Math, and Science) where the team placed first among all school divisions at the state level. Caitlyn is a member of the National Spanish Honor Society, into which she was inducted after maintaining an A-average during 7 consecutive semesters. Caitlyn also takes time for volunteer work, and is especially proud of her work at two camps for children as well as her work with the San Antonio Food Bank.

Caitlyn says that when she was younger, she was not the "perfect poster child" for PKU, hating to be the one who ate differently from her friends. But as she matured, she realized that while PKU is a part of her identity, it does not define who she is or what she does. She learned that "just because I have PKU doesn’t mean anything is off-limits. I can still achieve all of my dreams and accomplish my goals just the same as anyone else."” With her high intelligence, many talents, strong motivation, and upbeat attitude, Caitlyn is sure to achieve all of her goals and dreams.

Caitlyn aspires to get her Master’s Degree in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Texas and cites her interest in finding a cure for PKU as one of the main factors that led to her career goal.