Siblings are sport stars despite illness

Geraldton siblings Joseph and Zara Iaria are regular faces on local basketball courts, so it may come as a surprise the health condition both brother and sister have managed since childhood.

Joseph, 18, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at age 7 while 11-year-old Zara was diagnosed at birth.

Each morning they wake up to breathing exercises, followed by medications, nebulisers and vitamins, totalling to around 24 pills a day.

But the condition is no setback to either of the Iarias, with Joseph an impressive basketballer and Zara also a star on the netball and basketball court.

Hoping to inspire others, Joseph said the condition may be something he had to deal with, but was never going to be the thing that defined him.

“The level of sport I play at is an achievement to me because of the hours of practice and dedication I’ve put in, not because I’ve done it as a person with cystic fibrosis,” he said.

“Yes, it’s something Zara and I both deal with, but it’s never going to be something that holds us back in life.

“If we’re proud of an achievement then it’s not because we did it as someone who has cystic fibrosis, it’s because we’ve put in the effort and reached our goals just like anybody else.”

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease, which affects nearly 4000 children and young adults living in Australia.

CF is as common as leukaemia in young children, but whereas 95 per cent of leukaemia cases are cured, there is no cure for CF.

Hoping to raise awareness of the disease, Zara and Joseph are among thousands to support 65 Roses Month for Cystic Fibrosis this May, with the aim of raising funds to support people living with the disease and fund research for a cure.

The financial burden of CF can largely impact on regional families, with many requiring specialist treatment every few months, only available in the metropolitan area.

Joseph and Zara’s mum Donna Iaria said unlike many other childhood diseases, there was limited support for CF sufferers.

“When we travel to Perth we’re not able to use places like the Ronald McDonald House, so it does make things a lot more challenging,” she said.

“We’re lucky we’ve got close family friends to stay with but I’m sure many other families wouldn’t have access to that.

“This is why it’s important we raise awareness and funds for other families dealing with CF.”

Partnering with 65 Roses Month is also new campaign Crack A Cure, similar to the ice bucket challenge, where people are asked to nominate someone to crack an egg over their head before making a donation.

For more information on the campaign or CF, visit www.crackacure.com.