Departing sixth-form student Mia-Beth Poulton-Davies has been making waves this year with her written tribute to her beloved Grampa who sadly passed away in January of 2019 after a three year battle with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.
We caught up with Mia-Beth before she left Maesteg School to find out more about IPF and how her Grampa’s legacy has inspired her to write.
“My Grampa was diagnosed with IPF when I was 13 and it is sadly a disease that has no cure with no known cause for why it appears in the lungs,” said Mia-Beth.
“In November 2018 he became really unwell and relied on oxygen to keep him alive, which was a frightening time.“
“When my Grampa received his diagnosis, I began to actively post on social media about IPF and that’s when Action for Pulminary-Fibrosis got in touch with me to collaborate. After telling them more about my Grampa’s situation, I worked alongside Charlotte (Content and Communications Coordinator for the Charity) to produce an article that would go alongside my coursework on the APF website.”
“However, when Charlotte read through my coursework and my story, she dropped the article and said that my piece perfectly defined the journey of someone who has been affected by IPF, wanting to publish it online,” added Mia-Beth.
“Sadly after my Grampa’s death, I heard more stories from people who were suffering with IPF and this made me want to share even more information about the disease to help raise awareness of the impact it has on people’s lives.”
“The Fill Your Lungs Foundation read my story on the APF website and soon got in contact with me, asking to share my story in America, as they are based in Texas. Charlotte from APF has said that they would love to share more of my content in the future as we try to inform a wider audience about IPF and I would be so proud to do so.”
Mia-Beth has approached her Grampa’s story with such sensitivity and maturity, that we are indeed proud of her and it is with pride and pleasure that we can share her article in the link below. Good luck in September Mia-Beth, we look forward to watching your writing and career in business blossom.