WHEN Jordan Fitzgerald was born his parents knew nothing about Cystic Fibrosis, but after a newborn test found anomalies they quickly learned about the disease.
The Southern River resident’s mother Katya remembers the day she got the phone call from the hospital confirming Jordan’s diagnosis.
“Cystic Fibrosis had just been included in the Guthrie Test, and we had never heard of it before,” she said.
“When the hospital called us we feared the worst.”
Ms Fitzgerald said staff at Princess Margaret Hospital educated her about Jordan’s condition, which causes lung disease as well as other heath problems.
“It meant we were able to do some early intervention whereas people who did not have an early diagnosis were already sick and had lung damage,” she said.
“He was a part of a clinical research trial last year and now is on a personalised program. He hasn’t been admitted to hospital for 1½years which is just amazing.”
Ms Fitzgerald said Jordan has regular physiotherapy and takes medication to control the condition, but that does not stop him playing for Gosnells Soccer Club.
“In the ’60s mothers were told not to enrol their child in school,” she said.
“Now the average life expectancy is 37, which doesn’t sound very old, but they are making progress.”
Ms Fitzgerald will sell roses in Perth City on May 25 to help raise awareness and funds for research into the disease.