Young Mumbles woman aims to break cystic fibrosis barriers with half-marathon run

“If you ever see Cystic Fibrosis in films, you just see the bad stuff. And if you google it, it’s terrifying. Noone shows the other side. Yet not many people around me, apart from close friends and family, even know that I have Cystic Fibrosis,”  said the PGCE student from Mumbles.

Her parents, Rachel and Steve, were given the news when she was born:

“It’s genetic but we don’t know where it’s popped up from. We can’t trace it back in our family.”

But Isobel was always brought up in the belief that it would never stop her from doing anything she wanted:

“I’ve always been told I can do anything that anyone else can do. I live away from home, I went to Plymouth to get my degree, I’m training to be a teacher and I sail. I’ve been a member of a volunteer lifeboat crew since I was 17. Now, I’m doing the Cardiff Half.”

She signed up in January, and decided it was the perfect opportunity to shine a light on what a Cystic Fibrosis success story looks like.

“It’s my way of giving back. I don’t want young people with Cystic Fibrosis turning to google and being totally scared. You search online and it’s described as a life limiting disease. But I’m here to say that it doesn’t limit mine. I want them to find my story and realise that life can be great.

 Of course, life hasn’t always been plain sailing:

“I used to get chest infections quite a bit and there have bveen times I’ve had to stay in hospital for IV antibiotics. Of course, I have always taken medication and I used to have to have a nebuliser which I hated.

But it will be three years this Christmas since Isobel started taking a new drug, Kaftrio, which she said has been “lifechanging”.

“I couldn’t consider doing the Cardiff Half without it. It has changed my life. Within 24 hours of taking it, I was breathing differently. And now it’s time that I showed that there are positive stories out there.”

This year’s Cardiff Half – the twentieth anniversary edition of the race – takes place on Sunday 1 October and is set to raise more than £3 million once again through partnerships with over 90 charities. It sold out in June with 27,500 spaces runners now registered to be on the startline.

As part of its title sponsorship agreement, Principality Building Society, has teamed up with Run 4 Wales – the organisers of the Cardiff Half – to launch the “Healthy Habits” campaign. It aims to encourage people to adopt positive physical, mental and financial habits.

Adding to the event’s international appeal, it is now a part of the SuperHalfs – an international half marathon series including races in Lisbon, Prague, Valencia, Copenhagen and Cardiff. It challenges runners to complete the five race circuit in 36 months in order to earn a ‘SuperMedal’ and other exclusive prizes.