A bride's dream of being able to have the first dance at her own wedding became a reality after she was prescribed a miracle drug.
Kirsty Young, 32, was so poorly with cystic fibrosis that her consultant was preparing to put her on the lung transplant list.
But she was fortunate to get on the trial for Kaftrio at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital three years ago and it had turned her life around.
The Daily Record campaigned for the drug to be given to all who need it in Scotland and now hundreds of others like Kirsty have had their lives transformed.
The life of the music teacher from Stirling had already improved beyond her wildest dreams by the time she walked down the aisle to marry her partner Chris Nelson.
When she said ‘I do’ in February at a beautiful ceremony at Crear Weddings in Kilberry, Argyll, Kirsty was healthy enough to make the most of her big day.
She said: “Before Kaftrio, a realistic dream for my wedding was to have enough energy to dance the first dance.
“The reality was I had the perfect wedding and danced all night, which was thanks to the team at QEUH who have looked after me all these years to get me to that point and then also getting me on that Kaftrio trial.
“CF has gone from defining me to taking a back seat. It’s not an excuse I use anymore. I’ll still need to closely monitor it and there will be points where I need to rely on the team at the QEUH. But they have provided such amazing care so far. I know I’m in safe hands, which means I can focus on living my life to its new fullest potential.”
Kirsty had previously struggled to complete even the simplest of day-to-day tasks like going up the stairs or holding a conversation while walking before receiving the drug.
Now, she can be found walking in the countryside with her two dogs Òran and Machair, swimming or cycling as she continues to build up her fitness ahead of bagging her first Munro.
Kirsty said: “I was at a point where I was in and out of the hospital every other month. My lungs had deteriorated so much they were looking to get me on the transplant list. Then along came Kaftrio.
“I remember taking my first two pills at 10am. It was during lockdown and I was sitting in my garden.
“Within hours I was breathing easier and within a week my lung function had improved by 20 per cent which is a big deal when you have cystic fibrosis.”
Professor Gordon MacGregor, consultant physician at the QEUH, and part of the CF team caring for Kirsty over the years, said: “Kirsty is really inspiring in the manner she has managed her illness over the years while also making a great contribution to raising awareness of CFin the media over the years.
“It’s fantastic to see how much of an impact Kaftrio has had on her quality of life.
“Currently, we treat more than 250 patients with Kaftrio, which is one of a number of treatments for CF patients helping them live fuller lives with less acute visits to our hospitals.”
Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic condition in which the lungs and digestive system can become clogged with thick, sticky mucus. Over the years lungs can deteriorate to such an extent that patients can die or require a lung transplant. The average lifespan for a person born with it was just 32 years.
Kaftrio is having such great results it is hoped those who receive it will be able to live near normal lives and survive for many more decades.
