Callum Inglis has far more responsibility than most 10-year-olds should.
Callum is among the one in 2500 people who are born with cystic fibrosis (CF).
His lungs grow mucus on a continual basis and he has a daily routine involving nebulisers and medication to manage his condition.
In the morning, he has a nebuliser with saline to clear his airway and must blow into a mouth piece for respiratory function.
He has a mask in the morning and at night to aid with breathing.
He has to take tablets before he eats, especially when eating fatty food, to produce creon.
CF patients cannot produce enough creon, which holds food in the stomach, so if Callum does not take the tablet he is subjected to stomach pains and accelerated food digestion.
He has a peg in his stomach to assist with feeding and weight gain, which is encouraged for CF patients.
Callum’s stepfather, David Leonard, and his parents Prue Inglis and Matthew Inglis must work together as a cohesive unit to assist with Callum’s care.
“Certainly for a kid with cystic fibrosis, there’s a lot going on in his life that he has to do,” he said.
“It becomes quite monotonous but it has to be done.”
Mr Leonard said there are days when Callum wishes he could be “like every other ‘normal’ kid” and that they often forget how young he actually is.
“He understands he has to do this but might not fully understand why,” he said.
Mr Leonard came into Callum’s life when he was two-and-a-half years old and was able to continue to learn about Callum’s condition as he got older.
CF patients do not usually have a high life expectancy but Mr Leonard said his family will not quit raising awareness and providing for Callum as best they can.
65 Roses Day is held on May 30 and is the major fundraising event for cystic fibrosis.
People will be selling merchandise at the Marketplace on May 28, 29 and 30 and at South City Shopping Centre on May 28.
“We need to keep making people more aware of it and 65 Roses Day is a step in the right direction,” he said.
“There are a lot more people out there with this disease that you don’t realise.”
