When there is a will, there is a way, and Sophie Pierce is the living proof of this. Despite having cystic fibrosis from a young age, she perseveres and is keen on rowing across the Atlantic for 3,200 miles from Lanzarote to Antigua.
Cystic Fibrosis is the most common rare inherited disease in the UK, and unfortunately, Pierce is one of the rarities.
The first person to go on this journey
Pierce is the first person with cystic fibrosis to row for such a distance across the Atlantic. People with cystic fibrosis don’t have their lungs operating at full capacity so, her journey is a challenging yet remarkable one.
What is cystic fibrosis?
According to NHS, cystic fibrosis is a hereditary disease that leads to mucus buildup in the lungs and digestive system, which, in turn, causes lung infections and problems with food digestion.
The symptoms usually appear in early childhood and, unfortunately, worsen with time.
Who is Pierce?
Pierce is originally a social worker and has been one since 2018. Working with children and families is her forte, she kickstarted her career working in child protection and has recently moved to the fostering service.
She wants to prove to the world that it’s okay
When Pierce is not working, she can be found hiking with her dogs and enjoying trips in her campervan, despite having cystic fibrosis.
She knows that the condition can be a challenge but she is living to show people with cystic fibrosis how they can still live their life despite the condition.
It’s not all green fields and blue skies
“I was getting out of breath, and even though I was doing more treatments, my health was still declining. I had one or two hours of physiotherapy a day, was taking over 30 tablets a day and I was having monthly hospital appointments… but my body was struggling,” she explained.
She started small
Pierce climbed Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, and hiked the entire length of Offa’s Dyke and Hadrian’s Wall. However, her lungs were against her during that time as they started deteriorating. Routine activities had become difficult when she was only in her mid-twenties.
A light at the end of the tunnel
Pierce received an invitation to participate in a clinical trial at Llandough Hospital in Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, which felt like a golden opportunity as this was the last spot in the trial. Despite not knowing whether she was taking a placebo or the actual drug, she felt immediate improvement.
The drug was a big milestone
“On the way home, I remember feeling something change in my chest but thought it was in my mind. But I, basically, spent the next 24 hours coughing up what felt like 27 years of mucus,” she elaborated. The trial drastically improved her lung function from 55% to a staggering 71%.
The aim of the phenomenal challenge
The 3,200 miles (5,149 km) row across the Atlantic aims to raise money for charity in support of the cystic fibrosis cause. The 60-day challenge is also the fruit of three years of preparations.
Pierce, along with three other women from Pembrokeshire, will be rowing in a 10ft (three metres) vessel.
They are well-prepped
The participants’ vessel contains a solar and battery-powered fridge to keep their medications cool.
Additionally, Pierce made her own preparations by going to the All Wales Adult Cystic Fibrosis Centre for two weeks. She had undergone intensive physiotherapy, antibiotics and tested how her lungs might respond.
