DAVID WALKER/Stuff
Alana Taylor has cystic fibrosis. In 2015, she was near death until she was saved by a double lung transplant. (Video first published in August 2017)
Straight after waking up, Claire Scofield begins each day with a series of treatments – nebulizers, physio and oral medication. When she gets home from work, she’ll do some exercise, using breathing techniques to cough to “get as much gunk out a possible”. This is the reality of living with the genetic disorder cystic fibrosis. The condition causes sufferers to produce thick, sticky mucus that clogs the respiratory and digestive systems. More than 530 New Zealanders have the condition. Their life expectancy is late 30s.