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Belfast Live
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Jane Corscadden

How dance is helping Priya battle cystic fibrosis

One little girl in Co Antrim has been using dance to help manage her symptoms of cystic fibrosis.

Priya, 6, was diagnosed with the condition when she was just three weeks old but has never let it slow her down.

The strong-willed, determined youngster feels most confident when she's dancing, and attends classes at her family's dance studio, Doogan Dance Academy, five days a week.

Read more: Six-year-old boy given life-changing cystic fibrosis treatment

At the studio - run by her mum Courtney and her grandmother Gillian - little Priya does weekly classes in ballet, hip hop, jazz and tap dancing.

As the lungs are one of the organs impacted by cystic fibrosis with sticky mucous often building up, Priya's regular exercise through dance is one way she can help minimise her symptoms and clear her airways.

"It's really important to clear the airways, as sticky mucous in the lungs can cause germs to get trapped," mum Courtney told Belfast Live.

"This is where the exercise comes in because it's also part of her physio. The more she exercises, the more she's clearing her airways when she's getting out of breath. When she was younger, we would have done physio on her but now she's that bit older, physical exercise really helps.

Priya takes her nebulizer every day (Courtney Doogan)

"Pryia dances most days, up to around five days a week. Priya she looks no different to any other child - you wouldn't look at her and say she has something wrong with her. It's slightly invisible, people don't realise the things she has to do at home.

"She takes a nebulizer daily. Every time Priya eats any sorts of fats or protein - which is basically everything but fruit - she has to take enzyme tablets and this helps her body absorb the fats and proteins. Without that, she doesn't absorb anything. You find that kids with cystic fibrosis would struggle to gain weight."

Despite living with a life-limiting condition, Priya's family make sure to stay positive and focus on the bright side.

Throughout her life, the youngster has been fundraising for the Royal Victoria Hospital, as well as charities Helping Hands and the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. To date, she has raised over £20,000.

Courtney said: "As a family we've took on the attitude that she would be no different than any other child and we would do everything to ensure she had a normal upbringing and childhood. She's not really aware of how sick she could be, she calls it her '65 roses.'

"Sometimes she'll ask why her brothers don't have to take medicine but she does, again we don't make her aware of any of the bad stuff, we just tell her she's extra special and these make her big and strong and that's how she's able to do what she can.

"Priya is part of a drug trial for cystic fibrosis. We just explained to her that she's going to be able to help all the wee babies who have '65 roses' like her, to make sure they can be big and strong like her and do all the things she can do."

Priya dances five times a week (Courtney Doogan)

Courtney added that their dance academy has been a big part of Priya's life, with the girls Priya dances with being "like her sisters." She said this support over the years has helped both Priya and the family.

"I've always been a big believer in everything happening for a reason. I think in terms of us having the dance school, it's a blessing in disguise," Courtney added.

"It's part and parcel of her life. Since she's been in a car seat, she's been coming to classes with me, she sat and watched all these kids grow up and they're such a big part of her life too.

"The girls in the dance schools are all like her sisters. They all know Priya has to take her medicines, and will remind her to make sure to take her enzymes when she's eating. They all know she has to take it - it's just part of her, and it's that simple.

"We never wanted people to look at her like she had something wrong with her. Although she does have this genetic condition, it doesn't define who she is."

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