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Davis was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF) as an infant. But she's learned that playing water polo is helping her in the fight against the genetic disease because exercise is among the treatments for CF, which primarily causes the lungs to be clogged with mucous -- damaging them and increasing her susceptibility to illness.

"They (her doctors) are very happy about that because it can improve my lungs -- they've always said I should be really active," said Davis, a Grade 9 Kelvin High School student. "Exercise helps me cough and spit stuff out and the more mucous I get out, the better for my lungs."

Davis's active lifestyle and daily therapy statistically increase her chances of a longer, healthier life. She started playing water polo for fun at age 9 with her friends at the Bushido Water Polo Club. As she has grown, so has her grasp of the physical benefits.

"She understands what happens if her lungs don't work," said Conrad, Claire's dad. "If she maintains her level (of activity and treatment), her lungs are going to deteriorate no matter what, from scarring and the tissue losing its elasticity as she gets older.

"But if she had a very sedentary life, she would incur more damage because her lungs weren't cleared out enough. There's a big difference if she can keep her lungs clear and keep mucous out as much as possible, like with an extreme cardiovascular sport."

Claire's lung capacity is much less than other players on Bushido's competitive cadet (16-and-under) girls team.

"I really like playing but when we're practising or we're doing a lot of swimming (in a game), I get short of breath and it gets harder to breathe," Claire said. "When that happens, I push harder. Sometimes I'll slow down a bit but I get going again right away because I try not to let that affect me."

Claire's coach, Dave Hill, said her development matches others her age and has earned the admiration of all around her.

"When you play a game that's an hour long, in the water for 10 or 12 minutes at a time without a break -- I know how hard it is, I played water polo," Hill said. "How someone can do that with an affliction that interferes with breathing, interferes with respiration, interferes with nutrition, it's so physically hard to do and I can't believe she does it.

"But she does it, without complaining, and she's right in there. In a game, she's like anyone else. It boggles my mind."

Claire usually wakes up at 6 a.m. for physical therapy to expel the mucous clogging her lungs, which can often take an hour to complete and requires a parent's help. She inhales antibiotics through a nebulizer twice a day every second month. Every three months, she has a pulmonary function test to monitor her lung condition.

When she travels with her team, she has to wake up at least an hour before everyone else to complete her physical therapy.

"I'm used to it, I guess," she said. "Sometimes I feel upset about having to do all this stuff, and I'm like, 'Oh, my life sucks' and everything. But I go through with it and I try to think about better things and all the great things I have in my life."

She has her sights set on studying fashion design at Toronto's Ryerson University.

In the meantime, Hill said Claire's battle carries a life lesson about participation in sport.

"I hope that kids who don't try things because they feel they can't be on the Olympic podium think about it again. Maybe you can do an activity without standing on an Olympic podium. That's not the goal for everyone.

"Claire could maybe open some peoples' eyes to that, in any sport."

ashley.prest@freepress.mb.ca

Living with CF presents serious obstacles

What is cystic fibrosis?

* Fatal genetic disease affecting mainly lungs and digestive system.

* Causes buildup of thick mucous and difficulty in clearing bacteria in lungs.

* Leads to cycles of infection and inflammation that damage lung tissue.

* Causes thick mucous that blocks ducts in pancreas.

* Results in extreme difficulty in digesting food and absorbing nutrients.

Who gets it?

* People are born with it.

* It is carried by people with a defective version of a gene.

* Carriers do not have CF, cannot get CF and usually don't know they are carriers.

* Approximately 3,400 Canadians, including about 100 Manitobans, are living with CF.

What are signs and symptoms?

* Difficulty breathing.

* Constant cough, expelling thick mucous.

* Excessive appetite with weight loss.

* Bowel disturbances.

* Repeated or prolonged bouts of pneumonia.

* Failure to thrive.

What treatment is there?

* Demanding daily physical therapy of "tapping" or "clapping" the chest and back vigorously (percussion) or PEP (positive expiratory pressure) Mask Therapy to help loosen mucous clogging the lungs.

* Daily oral intake of artificial enzymes (average 20 pills per day) to assist in absorption of nutrients.

* Daily intake of vitamins and nutritional supplements and antibiotics to fight lung infection.

* Exercise.

What does the future hold?

* There is no cure for CF.

* In 1960 when the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation was founded, a child born with CF rarely lived four years.

* In 1989, Canadian researchers discovered the gene responsible for CF.

* With research and comprehensive treatment programs, 47 per cent of all Canadians with CF are over the age of 18 years.

Source: Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation website: www.cysticfibrosis.ca