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Former Eurovision contestant Bianca Nicholas from Tonbridge calls for greater use of ‘miracle’ cystic fibrosis drug Kaftrio

A former Eurovision contestant living with cystic fibrosis has credited a ‘miracle drug’ with allowing her to become a mum for the first time.

Bianca Nicholas, from Tonbridge, has been using a drug called Kaftrio for three years and says it has transformed her life.

Since taking the drug she has seen a massive improvement in her health and has since become a mother.

Women with cystic fibrosis can struggle during pregnancy due to the thick sticky mucus which builds up in the lungs and other organs making it harder to breathe.

Bianca, 34, represented the UK in the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest, and is now promoting a petition to bring the drug to low-income countries.

She said: “Kaftrio has been life-changing for me and I am just so grateful for the fact that I can fill my lungs with air.

Husband Gearóid Maguire, Bianca and son Jude with the family dog.
Husband Gearóid Maguire, Bianca and son Jude with the family dog.

“It has increased my fertility which means that I’m now a mum.

“It gave me my son and there are no words for how grateful I am and what it means to me.

“I was horrified when I recently learnt that only 40 out of 195 countries have this drug approved.”

She has also been the face of a social media campaign called ‘Pass It On’ to raise awareness.

Patients with cystic fibrosis undergo daily burdens of treatment to ease their pain however the programme of medicines and hospitalisations only treat the symptoms of the disease.

Bianca and her son promote petition
Bianca and her son promote petition

Kaftrio helps gets to the root cause of cystic fibrosis and improves lung function but is currently not available in lower income countries.

Even in the UK, the approval of Kaftrio followed several years of high-profile campaigning for access to earlier therapies.

“I remember the day that Kaftrio was approved in the UK and I was looking at my husband and crying and saying ‘Is this real,’” added Bianca. “Up until that point I had been just too scared to get my hopes up, because it meant so much to me.

“It must be so hard to be someone in a country where it is not approved and see the amazing effects it is having on everyone (in other countries) and not have the chance to experience that yourself.

“That is why I want to do everything I can to help other people with cystic fibrosis experience this second chance that I have been given.”

The campaign for fair global access to Kaftrio, known in some countries as Trikafta, and other modulator therapies is coordinated by grass roots organisation Vertex Save Us and patient advocacy group, Just Treatment.

The petition hopes to gain 100,000 signatures worldwide.

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