Grappling with health issues can be tricky, especially for someone surrounded by healthy and carefree peers.
Taylors Lakes Secondary College student Kye Pelham is lucky to have the backing of his 1282 fellow students.
The year 8 student has cystic fibrosis (CF) and has been the driving force behind the school sending eight of its leaders to volunteer at a CF youth development camp later this month.
The life-threatening illness mostly affects the lungs and digestive system because of a malfunction in the exocrine system, which is responsible for producing saliva, sweat, tears and mucus.
There is currently no cure.
Year 10 student Natalie Williams is one of the leaders heading to the weekend camp at Axedale on February 20.
During the camp, she will assist kids with CF in activities and games.
“I think volunteering for special causes like this has benefits all round,” Natalie said. “I’m so excited.
“I think we’ll learn a lot about how to work together and socialise with people we’re not used to being around, and we’ll help out as much as we can.
“They’re young people just like us and they deserve the same sense of freedom and life.”
Cystic Fibrosis Victoria is run through the Australian Cystic Fibrosis Research Trust, which supports more than $500,000 worth of research across Australia each year.
