CF sufferer cycles length of Ireland thanks to wonder drug – Connacht Tribune Group

Six months ago a Tuam woman could barely climb the stairs without feeling breathless but thanks to a new drug, the Cystic Fibrosis sufferer successfully completed a 620 kilometre cycle from Malin Head to Mizen Head last weekend.

And now Caroline Heffernan has her sights set on participating in a half-ironman in Edinburgh.

She puts her improved health down to the availability of the drug Kalydeco which she said could have provided a lifeline for some of her CF friends who have passed away in recent years.

Mother of two Caroline (46), has been to the forefront of establishing a centre for CF sufferers in the West of Ireland, did not think that she would ever complete such a feat and described it as a very emotional occasion.

One of the highlights of the four day long cycle was when she passed through Tuam and was greeted by well-wishers and members from local cycling clubs. In all the event raised around 100,000 for Cystic Fibrosis awareness.

In total, 45 cyclists took on the challenge from the top of Donegal to the southerly most tip of the country and Caroline says that she didnt realise that there were so hills in the country. She admits struggling for the last 30k but the memory of some of her fellow CF sufferers inspired her on.

I have been very lucky in that I have been given a second chance. Last November I could not climb the stairs at home without being breathless and coughing. In the mornings I would go downstairs with the intention of not having to go back up.

But I was lucky to get on the trial for the drug Kalydeco and within an hour and a half I knew the difference and here we are six months later I have got my fitness back and got my life back.

It means not having to do the normal treatment and I just take two tablets a day and while there is still a lot of work involved, it has changed my life. I was able to do the cycle and while there were a lot of hills involved, it was an emotional rollercoaster, Caroline admits.

The average life expectancy of a CF suffer is 35 years but Caroline has certainly defied these odds and has vowed to continue raising awareness about the condition and how it affects sufferers.

See full story in this weeks Connacht Tribune.

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CF sufferer cycles length of Ireland thanks to wonder drug - Connacht Tribune Group