MAFS' Lyndall Grace was given a life expectancy of just 32 years, here's what she wants you to know about her condition
EXCLUSIVE: At two weeks old Lyndall Grace was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis (CF), she was given a life expectancy of just 32 years.
Always conscious that every moment she had was precious, Lyndall lived her life "creating memories" not knowing when she would become too unwell to do so.
At 27, she embarked on her wildest experience yet and Australia met her on Season 10 of Married At First Sight.
It was at the same age that Lyndall's life completely changed after the introduction of the medication called Trikafta to the PBS in 2022. Trikafta would drastically extend Lyndall's life expectancy by 40 years.
With May officially marking Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month, Lyndall, 30, shared just how she was planning for her new future including freezing her eggs and emphasised that there is still plenty of work to be done for CF sufferers.
Lyndall was just two weeks old when she was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis. Supplied
Cystic Fibrosis is an inherited disorder that causes severe damage to the lungs, as well as the digestive and reproductive systems and about one in every 2,500 babies are born with the condition.
For Lyndall, getting access to Trikafta changed her life in so many ways.
Instantly she was "breathing better and waking up more refreshed. In just two months Lyndall's lung function improved from 60 percent to 92 percent.
Lyndall instantly had a new lease on life, she noticed her laugh getting louder, she was able to travel to countries she never would've previously considered but there were also new challenges in her life.
A new drug Trikafta drastically extended Lyndall's life by 40 years. Supplied
While Lyndall was nothing but grateful that Trikafta had changed her life for the better, she admitted that the news also sent her into crisis.
"There was this existential dread of 'oh God, I'm not there. I haven't done any of the work to set myself up for a house or a partner or anything like that'," Lyndall explained.
Prior to the introduction of Trikafta, Lyndall explained she'd stopped herself from pursuing romantic relationships for fear of potential partner having to lose her early in life.
"The first thing I thought when I heard the news about Trikafta was 'oh my God I can get married, oh my God I can have kids'," Lyndall said.
Lyndall recalled being 14 when she Googled Cystic Fibrosis saying at the time it was "the worst thing she could've done". Supplied
But more than two years on from the introduction of Trikafta, Lyndall has had time to assess how she wants to approach her new future.
"I will still live a wonderful life if I don't have a long-term partner or don't have kids but now it's the idea that I have the choice," she said.
"I would love to freeze my eggs because I want to keep that choice alive."
Since the introduction of Trikafta, Lyndall has a new lease on life. Supplied
While so much work has been done to improve the lives of those with CF, Lyndall wants the public to know there's still a need for more funding and research.
"Trikafta is a treatment not a cure. As much as the outlook is so much better we still have so much work to do because not everyone with CF has access to it or responds to the medication properly.
"I don't want anybody else to get left behind."
This May (CF Awareness Month), Lyndall is sharing her story to support CF Together, aiming to raise awareness and funds for cystic fibrosis care, advocacy, and research. To donate: cftogether.org.au
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