Mallory Smith

Mallory Smith
Born(1992-10-12)October 12, 1992
Los Angeles
DiedNovember 15, 2017(2017-11-15) (aged 25)
OccupationAuthor
NationalityAmerican
Alma materStanford University
GenreMemoirs
Notable worksSalt in My Soul: An Unfinished Life[1]

Mallory Beatrice Smith (October 12, 1992 – November 15, 2017) was an author and cystic fibrosis advocate.

Early life[edit]

Smith was born to Mark Smith and Diane Shader Smith on October 12, 1992, and diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, a "progressive, genetic disease that causes persistent lung infections and limits the ability to breathe over time", at age 3.[2][3][4] The disease cripples by inhibiting oxygen and nutrient absorption required for growth and energy[5] with treatment regimens of more than 60 pills per day and waking up repeatedly for antibiotic IV treatments and lung exercises, yet Smith was determined to live well.[6] She maintained a 4.3 grade point average,[2] was captain of three different team sports, and was elected prom queen.[6]

By age 15, bacteria had colonized Smith's lungs, including a form of Burkholderia cenocepacia which mutated over a decade of antibiotic treatment from a normal vegetable bacteria into rare, aggressive superbug with no known treatment.[7] This allowed her to push for experimental options with bacteriophage treatment, which engineers viruses to destroy bacteria.[7] She attended Stanford University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa,[6][8] majoring in human biology with a concentration in environmental anthropology.[2] She also worked as a senior producer on Green Grid Radio, an environmental podcast featured on KCRW, National Radio Project and State of the Human.[9] After graduation, Smith became a cystic fibrosis advocate and began work as a writer.[8] However, her lungs took a turn for the worse in 2012 and she received a lung transplant on September 11, 2017.[5] Unfortunately the superbug had survived in her throat[8] and she died on November 15, 2017, at age 25 before bacteriophage treatment could be successfully administered, but provided lung samples to further the research for other patients.[3]

Advocacy[edit]

Smith's determination to live with joy despite her physical prognosis was inspirational to research and the cystic fibrosis community[2][5][7] Smith's outlook is credited as a driving force behind two cystic fibrosis charities. "An Evening in Mallory’s Garden" was started in 1995 and has raised more than $5 million[9] while Lunges4Lungs gained national awareness including corporate support from companies like Lululemon[5] and star support including Katy Perry.[6]

Works[edit]

In 2016 she co-authored The Gottlieb Native Garden: A California Love Story with horticulturist Susan Lenman Gottlieb which was published by the National Wildlife Federation,.[10] Her memoir, Salt in My Soul: an Unfinished Life, was posthumously edited and published at her direction by her mother, writer/publicist Diane Shader Smith through Penguin Random House on March 12, 2019.[11][9] It was subsequently optioned for production before its publication by The Invisible War and The Hunting Ground Oscar-nominated directors Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering.[9]

List of works[edit]

  • The Gottlieb Native Garden: A California Love Story, National Wildlife Federation, First edition October 25, 2016, ISBN 0692783393
  • Salt in My Soul: an Unfinished Life, Penguin Random House, Spiegel & Grau, First edition March 12, 2019, ISBN 1984855425

References[edit]

  1. ^ LaBonte, Michelle (2022). "The Value of the Patient Voice: A Review of Salt in My Soul by Mallory Smith". Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics. 32 (3): 443–446. doi:10.1017/S0963180122000433. PMID 36366957. S2CID 253457334. "Michelle LaBonte". Department of the History of Science, Harvard University.
  2. ^ a b c d "In the Spotlight: Mallory Smith". www.cff.org. Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Archived from the original on March 27, 2019. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
  3. ^ a b "Beverly High Graduate, Cystic Fibrosis Advocate Mallory Smith Dies At 25". Beverly Hills Courier. November 16, 2017. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
  4. ^ Bethesda, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation 4550 Montgomery Ave Suite 1100 N.; Md 20814301-951-4422 800-344-4823. "About Cystic Fibrosis". www.cff.org. Retrieved February 29, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ a b c d Gardner, Karen (September 20, 2017). "CF Patient, Recovering from Double Transplant, Inspires 'Lunges4Lungs' Fundraiser". Cystic Fibrosis New Today. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
  6. ^ a b c d Harward, Jason (December 13, 2017). "Facing mortality: a young woman's lifelong battle with illness". HS Insider Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
  7. ^ a b c Boodman, Eric (November 12, 2017). "To save a young woman besieged by superbugs, scientists hunt a killer virus". PBS. NewsHour Productions LLC. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
  8. ^ a b c Abcarian, Robin (March 8, 2019). "A memoir unlike any you've read: A young woman's inspiring struggle with her invisible killer". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
  9. ^ a b c d Siegel, Tatiana (February 19, 2019). "'Hunting Ground' Directors to Make Film Based on Memoir of Cystic Fibrosis Victim". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
  10. ^ Foster, Christine (March 20, 2018). "Farewells: Young Alumna and Writer". Stanford Magazine. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
  11. ^ "Salt in My Soul By Mallory Smith". Penguin Random House. Retrieved March 6, 2019.

External links[edit]

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