It is said that a dog is a man’s best friend, and I know for one that my dog Charlie is.

A dog is someone that can be there for you all the time, who loves you unconditionally and is a great support for someone when they need it most. I think that a dog or any pet for that matter can really benefit are person living with Cystic Fibrosis.

I got my dog Charlie when I was 13 and to say I was delighted would be an under- statement! Charlie had a positive impact on my life in so many different ways.

For a start, he was a great distraction from all the regular hospital appointments and treatments I had to do each day - having him beside me made them all a little bit easier. He was an excellent emotional support for me and just helped to bring a smile to my face when I got fed up from doing all my treatments and for me this helped make them a lot easier

Another way a dog helps someone who has Cystic Fibrosis is that they are a great excuse for us to go out and get some exercise - whether it’s a brisk walk or even just a stroll – it all helps to make sure we can keep our lungs as healthy as possible. It is vital to get as much exercise as you can to ensure you avoid getting infections, hospital admissions, etc. A dog is a good encouragement to go out and do this and makes getting exercise more enjoyable and less like a chore that you must do it and more like you actually want to do it which I really needed as I used to be very unmotivated to go out and get exercise!

My dog was a great motivation for me to keep myself well as whenever I had to be admitted into hospital I really missed him and he was one of the reason why id be so determined to get better so I could see him. They are always a great comfort to have around and are always there whenever you need a good cuddle! And if you’re anything like me, I always love to cuddle up with my dog, especially when im feeling unwell. He always makes me feel a whole lot better, just being able to do this.

When I was 14 I got quite bad with my Cystic Fibrosis so much so that I was unable to go to school. I could not leave the house without my oxygen and wheelchair so I didn’t do so very much. At this time, my dog was my biggest help and my best friend(I know it sounds sad!). I was never able to go out with my friends and do what every other teenager was able to do. Instead, I had to stay at home but being able to be with my dog made me less upset about this.

In my opinion, a dog is something that really helped my wellbeing when I was ill and I believe that it would also benefit a person with Cystic Fibrosis to get any pet, not just a dog, as they can really help their attitude and their wellbeing. And of course, they’re very cute to look at too!

Siobhan Murray