‘There’s no limit to what I can do!’: Keira’s London Marathon story

Not letting CF define me

Hi, I’m Keira, I’m 19 and I was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF) when I was born, so I've been going to appointments since I was a baby. I have two older sisters, and my middle sister also has CF. When I was younger, I didn't talk about my health much as I didn't want it to define who I was as a person.

But as I've gotten older, I started to understand that it's not something that will define me and I've opened up and told more people about it - they're very comfortable with it and make sure to look out for me. 

I remember going into hospital when I was very young, but since I’ve started taking the medicine Kaftrio, my health has been really good. However, having CF affects quite a lot of my daily life, I experience shortness of breath, and sometimes have a tight chest. I think that being an active person helps, I discovered my passion and love for football when I was five years old, and that benefited my health in a positive way, as it helps with keeping my lungs healthy and clear. 

Support from the Trust

The Trust helped me with my Personal Independence Payment  (PIP) application for my benefits. I wasn’t sure how to approach the interview and had lots of questions about the process. The team at the Trust were great, they helped me fill out the forms, answered all of my questions and gave the best information ahead of my interview - so it was really helpful. It’s great to be able to fundraise and find a way to give something back to the Trust. 

Getting ready for the London Marathon

Someone in my hockey team ran the London Marathon for Cystic Fibrosis Trust. But as I’ve lived with CF my whole life, I was motivated to run it this year to prove to myself mostly, but also to other people living with CF, that it's not going to stop us and we can do anything that we want to do!

Some days training is difficult because the cold weather can affect my chest, but I'm quite a headstrong and determined person, so if I decide to do something I will fully commit to it. On the days when I need a bit of motivation to get out there and run, I listen to my favourite music, and it really does keep me going.

When I opened the email offering me a place on the Trust’s London Marathon team, I was shocked and taken aback. As I know there’s a huge demand to get a spot on the team, but it just gave me a reason to push myself and start training for the big day.

My advice to anyone thinking of doing a fundraiser or taking on a challenge for the Trust, would be to just do it! I would tell other people living with CF, not to let it define you and don't let it stop you from doing anything you want to do.

Looking forward to the future 

I'm currently doing a-levels and have applied for a singing performance degree at the British and Irish Modern Music Institute. I really enjoy singing and it is great for people with CF because it keeps your lungs healthy. 

I’m also looking forward to running the London Marathon for the first time in April, and to pursuing all of my passions – there’s no limit to what I can do!