Laura may be ‘fragile’ but is ready to face her fears
A Brodick teenager suffering from anxiety and cystic fibrosis is challenging her condition and the stigma attached to it with a series of extreme challenges to raise awareness of her condition.
Laura Shaw, 17, who previously kept her health issues secret, sees her challenges as a ‘coming out’ and an acceptance that she feels empowers her and helps her to face it head on.
She said: ‘I’m the same as everyone else, only a little fragile.’
Something she does feel slightly daunted by is her upcoming four extreme challenges, which include caving, skydiving, fire walking and swimming with sharks which all represent the four elements, fire, earth, water and air.
While the dates for most of the events are still to be confirmed, owing to the difficulties in arranging them around busy schedules, the skydiving will take place next week (Tuesday July 25).
The fire walking challenge, which is scheduled for November, is a group fundraiser which Laura hopes to involve the community in by inviting up to 100 people to join her at the Ormidale Sports Pavilion. The event will raise funds for both the Cystic Fibrosis Trust and the Butterfly Trust. The community-orientated fundraiser will also include an assortment of stalls with a tombola, cakes, tea and coffee, a jumble sale and a raffle.
Laura, who works at the Co-op in Brodick,
said: ‘I want to bring the attention of this life-threatening illness to everyone and hopefully make a change. Not only am I hoping to raise money for the cause but I’m also hoping to educate people on the matter and raise awareness of cystic fibrosis to a bunch of people. Hopefully, I can help give the unfortunate who suffer with this intolerable disease more hope that it’s getting the recognition it deserves and more support to everyone in general.
‘This is a big step for me, for accepting who I truly am and attempting to conquer my anxiety. I am making the most of coming out and raising money for cystic fibrosis and the Butterfly Trust. I don’t want to be known as “the girl with cystic fibrosis” again or receive any form of special treatment. I just want to be treated as a normal human being who needs an extra bit of help with my health.’
Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease caused by a faulty gene which controls the movement of salt and water in your cells, making the lungs and digestive system become clogged with mucus which affects breathing and digestion. It also effects the pancreas, liver, kidneys and intestines, and lowers the immune system.
People with cystic fibrosis often look perfectly healthy. But it’s a lifelong challenge involving a large daily intake of drugs, time-consuming physiotherapy and isolation from others with the condition. Cystic fibrosis is treated with antibiotics, also lung transplants are taken into consideration when needed. Currently there is no cure. It is reckoned that one in 25,000 babies in the UK are born with cystic fibrosis.
Laursa added: ‘Since I moved from England to Scotland, I decided to hide the fact I’m living with this disease because I didn’t like the attention and special care it brought me, but I have learned to accept I have it. By no means do I want people to start treating me any differently because, at the end of the day, I’m the same as everyone else, only a little fragile.’
If you wish to sign up for the fire walking challenge or host a stall, or if you wish to support Laura in her endeavours, further details can be found on her online fundraising page at uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Laura_CysticFibrosis.
I do not want people to start treating me any differently because, at the end of the day, I’m the same at everyone else, only a little fragile