Parents talk of challenge taking care of daughter Lauren

10:40am Thursday 28th April 2011

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A mum has spoken of the heartbreak she feels every day over her daughter living with a disease that may shorten her life – and her hope that one day a cure will be found.

Two-year-old Lauren Birch has Cystic Fibrosis (CF), a disease that shortens life and inflicts a considerable daily treatment burden.

It is caused by a defective gene that results in internal organs, especially the lungs and digestive system, becoming clogged with thick, sticky mucus.

Lauren has to take more than six different medicines a day and have physiotherapy to clear mucus. She also requires occasional hospital stays and courses of intravenous antibiotics.

Now, ahead of Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Week (May 8 to 14), her parents Jonathan and April Birch, of Kensington Street, Keighley, have spoken out in the hope of raising awareness of a disease for which there is no cure.

“Having Lauren suffering with Cystic Fibrosis has thrown us into a different world, worrying about her catching a cold or cough or tummy bug just has a whole set of new implications that we’d have never thought of before having her,” said 29-year-old April.

“Monitoring everything she eats and calculating the fat as we make her food to make sure we medicate correctly can be exhausting. It breaks my heart daily that she has to live with this disease and we do everything we can to make life as normal as possible. but the simple fact is her life isn’t and never will be normal unless a cure can be found.

“As morbid as it sounds, our worst fear is knowing one day whether ten, 20, or 30-plus years down the line, our reality could be burying our child.”

during CF awareness week the family is doing a collection via virginmoneygiving.com/team/Workouts and at Workouts Health Club in Shipley.

Anyone who donates money will be entered into a free prize draw.

There is also a running challenge at Workouts Health Club for the members where all proceeds will also be donated to the CF Trust.

Money raised during Cystic Fibrosis Week will help the Cystic Fibrosis Trust fund medical research to fight the symptoms of and treat the cause of CF. Visit cfweek.org.uk

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