From Five Feet Apart to Claire’s Place
Haley Lu Richardson as Stella in Five Feet Apart
Back in 2019, the movie Five Feet Apart was released just five months after our founder, Claire Wineland, passed away. Although the film wasn’t a biopic of Claire’s life, Haley Lu Richardson’s character, Stella, beautifully captured Claire’s spirit, humor, and outlook on life. For so many of us who loved Claire, it felt like seeing a part of her come alive again on screen — a reminder of her courage and the light she brought to everyone around her. It also carried forward the message that continues to guide our work today — that every person living with cystic fibrosis deserves the chance to focus on living, not just surviving.
Haley once shared this memory that perfectly reflects Claire’s influence:
“I’ll always remember her telling me that when you have Cystic Fibrosis, there comes a time when you stop living for your treatments and you start doing your treatments so that you can live. We added that as a line in the movie. I think those words are the heart of the story, and I’ll hold on to them forever as a reminder that the point of life is for it to be lived.”
That connection marked the beginning of our friendship with Haley.
Since then, Haley has been incredibly generous to our organization—helping us raise both funds and awareness within the CF community. Over the years, she has supported Claire’s Place Foundation in countless ways: contributing to our LA Fire Emergency Fund, attending our very first Clairity Ball in 2019 (where we honored the cast of Five Feet Apart), creating heartfelt videos for Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month, and even inviting Claire’s sister, Ellie, to the film’s premiere.
Her most recent gift to our foundation is the crocheted sweater she made while preparing for her role as Stella. Haley crafted it herself to better embody the character’s mindset and emotions. We knew that one of her many fans would treasure this piece of both movie and CF history—a one-of-a-kind, handmade sweater that represents comfort, connection, and hope. Its soft gray tones feel especially symbolic of the time when distance was necessary, like during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Along with the sweater, Haley also donated much of her fun and funky personal wardrobe to Claire’s Place Foundation to help us continue our mission. Thanks to the wonderful team at Buffalo Exchange, we’ll be hosting a Pop-Up Sale featuring Haley’s wardrobe at their Melrose location in Los Angeles on November 22nd and 23rd from 11:00am to 4:00pm while supplies last! All proceeds support our programs.
Claire’s mission was always to live a life you can be proud of. In that same spirit, Haley—and all of us at Claire’s Place Foundation—are dedicated to helping people with cystic fibrosis and their families live a life they can be proud of, too. Through programs that help cover rent or mortgage payments during extended hospital stays, as well as practical support for people with CF hoping to enter the remote work force, we give families the space to focus on what matters most: living, healing, and finding joy in the moments in between.
Haley Lu just released a new book of poems! You can find out more about it HERE
