Cystic fibrosis sufferer Melissa Haynes has completed the Adelaide Marathon, proving medical conditions are no barrier to achieving your dreams.
Ms Haynes, 27, has become the first chronic sufferer of the genetic disorder in Australia to complete the 42km run, finishing in three hours and 37 minutes.
“When times did get tough, I just thought of the many CF angels in the sky and that got me through,” Ms Haynes said.
Ms Haynes’ parents were told she was unlikely to live past the age 20, but she has been determined to prove experts wrong since childhood.
The average life expectancy for people living with cystic fibrosis is just 37, a figure Ms Haynes said she “doesn’t want to become her reality”.
“I just hope one day I’ll be able to say I used to have cystic fibrosis,” she said.
Associate Professor David Parsons from Adelaide University told 9NEWS he was “astounded” at Ms Haynes’ abilities.
“It’s amazing that someone living with CF-lungs is able to contemplate it, let alone do it,” he said.
Linda Jones from the Cure 4 Cystic Fibrosis Foundation said researchers are racing against time to develop a breakthrough for sufferers.
“For people like Mel, we have to do all that we can to accelerate a cure - for 3000 people in Australia, 70,000 people worldwide,” Ms Jones said.
“We have to do all we can.”
Ms Haynes has raised more than $19,000 for Cure4CF Foundation.