Some days it is an achievement for 10-year-old Maddison-Grace Wilson to get from her bed to the couch.
In her short lifetime, the Tauranga girl has had more than 15 surgeries due to complications from her multiple respiratory conditions.
But she battles on and celebrates the small wins.
Maddison-Grace, or Maddi as she is known, lives with bronchiectasis, asthma and is genetically-positive for primary ciliary dyskinesia.
Despite this, Maddi loves to go to school and enjoys playing volleyball and netball as much as she can.
Maddi knows she is sick more than her friends and she knows there are procedures she has to have to help her stay healthy.
“I am brave and I have lots of courage,” she says.
“Sometimes I don’t want to have all the medical procedures done, because it makes me very scared, but I know I need to do them to stay healthy so I can go to school with all my friends.
“I am brave every day.”
Maddi’s mum, Victoria Wilson, says her daughter is an inspiration.
“A simple cold goes to her chest rapidly and we spend many weeks in hospital, so she is learning every day how to be more involved in managing her health.
“She does her own inhalers, helps set up her daily nebuliser and uses her cough assist machine with such a positive attitude,’ Ms Wilson says.
“Everyone can find such strength in Maddi.”
When Maddi grows up, she wants to be a zoo veterinarian.
“I want to look after all the animals and I also want to go to the Steve Irwin Zoo and hold the koalas because that’s my favourite animal.”
Her dream trip is to go to Disneyland with her mum and brother and be a princess in the castle.
Maddison-Grace Wilson was the recipient of the Cody Forbes Award for Courage at the 2024 Respiratory Achievers’ Awards on Thursday.
