A new cystic fibrosis drug has helped seven-year-old Kate Farrer feel better 'within hours'.
The drug, Kaftrio, aids lung function, which helps patients with the condition have a better quality of life.
Cystic fibrosis is a progressive disease that causes persistent lung infections and limits people's ability to breathe over time.
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The disease effects around 8,000 people in England, which is the second-highest proportion of people living with the condition in the world.
Previously, the drug was only available to those over the age of 12, but following a deal made by the NHS in June 2020, it has since been made available to younger patients, like Kate.
Speaking about the impact that the drug has had, Kate said that she felt 'a lot better' since starting the treatment on Sunday, February 5.
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She added, 'I am really happy because it is a life-changing drug and it is going to help me a lot when I am older.'
Her family have also noticed the difference, as the youngster began feeling better just three hours after taking the drug.
Kate added, 'Now with this new medication – I have only been on it a few days but I am feeling a lot better now – it is really exciting that I got it, because now life will hopefully be a bit fairer with me, because sometimes it is not as fair because of all of my treatment and medications.'
She also went to explain that she's 'actually quite happy' because she doesn't cough 'one bit' when she exhales now.
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Speaking to ITV News, Kate's mum, Catherine, said that after campaigning to get to this point, having the treatment made available through the NHS was an 'enormous relief'.
She added, 'It's been tough. I can't describe what it's like to be told your child has got a chronic condition. It was devastating and we obviously feared for her future.'
Now, thanks to the new drug, her daughter's future looks 'really bright'.
Catherine explained, 'Our hopes now with this treatment is that things should start to get easier not just for us, but for Kate as well, she will have more time to live and be a seven-year-old.'
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Kaftrio is a combination of three drugs (ivacaftor, tezacaftor and elexacaftor) that helps target the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis, thus helping the lungs function better.
The treatment is now available to around 1,300 children who are aged between six and 11, like Kate.
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Shola Lee