Ciara’s journey with Respiratory Care WA began after what seemed like a normal, healthy childhood. For the first seven years of her life, she was energetic, loved sports, and kept up with her sisters. But suddenly, when she turned seven, Ciara started to get sick all the time, struggled to breathe and was unable to participate in the activities she once enjoyed.
Each time Ciara caught a cold, it hit her hard, often keeping her out of school and away from sports. Sports carnivals, which she had always loved, became a nightmare as she struggled to catch her breath.
“It felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest,” Ciara would tell her mum.
Despite numerous visits to the GP and trying different medications, nothing seemed to work. Ciara was put on Ventolin, which provided some relief, but it wasn’t enough. Then, things took a turn for the worse when she contracted glandular fever, severely weakening her immune system. This was followed by Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), which further complicated her condition.
Ciara’s health continued to decline, leading to multiple hospital visits.
“She was on steroids all the time, gaining weight, and feeling lethargic,” her mum recalls. It wasn’t until a GP finally suggested that Ciara might have asthma that things began to change. However, even with an asthma diagnosis, Ciara’s condition remained difficult to manage.
Desperate for answers, Ciara’s family turned to Respiratory Care WA and after an assessment including Lung Function Testing, Ciara was referred to Dr. Stephen Oo, a Paediatric Respiratory Specialist.
