Breathing
Not that long ago, cystic fibrosis (CF) was a death sentence: most patients
didn't live to adulthood. Thanks to modern therapies and the research at
St. Paul's Hospital's leading CF clinic, patients are living full lives.
As a child, Trina Atchison wanted to be a veterinarian.
But she never thought she'd live long enough to fulfil
her dream.
In 1987, at six months old, Trina was diagnosed with
CF—a genetic, progressive, and fatal disease that
primarily affects the lungs and digestive system.
She wasn't expected to celebrate her 12
th
birthday.
Due to medical advancements, Trina's life expectancy
kept shifting. After high school, she worked a series of
odd jobs, unsure if investing in a long-term career
made sense.
"It was hard to digest that there was an expiry date on
my life, and that had a profound effect on my mental
health," she says. "I really didn't know how long I was
going to be around."
By her late 20s, Trina's lung function plummeted.
Frequent hospital stays made working impossible, and
she rarely left her Vancouver home.
In 2018, St. Paul's Hospital became a clinical trial site for
a new drug called Trikafta. Trina joined the double-blind
study, uncertain if she would receive the placebo or the
real medication. Within days, she noticed a dramatic
shift—and her health continued to steadily improve.
"I went from being so sick and decrepit to gaining
30 pounds, being able to walk and breathe, and not
gasp for air," she says.
