Devon man diagnosed with CF after fertility battle

A Devon man diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at 41 after fertility problems reflects on missed early screening and life changes.

Devon father finally diagnosed with cystic fibrosis after fertility struggle

Simon Wade, a sales consultant from Devon, was born with cystic fibrosis but was not diagnosed until he was 41. He had long carried breathing difficulties and was treated for asthma, but it wasn’t until he and his partner Hannah faced fertility issues that doctors pursued deeper tests. Genetic analysis revealed the DNA markers for cystic fibrosis and other abnormalities, a discovery that came as a massive shock.

Now 44, Simon does not take medication and relies on regular exercise as his main form of medicine. He ran the London Marathon in April to raise nearly £3,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. Their daughter Ava, born in December 2023 with the help of IVF, does not carry the CF gene, confirmed by the heel prick test. The story also notes that newborn screening for CF began nationwide in 2007, meaning Simon’s diagnosis came after the window most people are caught by screening. Doctors say his high fitness levels help him manage the condition without medications for now and that continued activity remains important to his health.

Simon Wade’s case highlights a gap between lifelong symptoms and a formal diagnosis when those symptoms are misattributed. It also shows how fertility testing can unexpectedly reveal a serious, chronic condition.

Beyond Cameron’s story, the wider trend is clear: advances in treatment and longer life expectancy for people with CF exist, but gaps in early detection persist. Public awareness and robust screening, along with ongoing support for families, are essential parts of turning medical progress into real, everyday safety for patients.

Highlights

Advances in screening and treatment offer hope while gaps in early diagnosis still matter.