Doctor who battled rare airway condition returns to Cardiff hospital

Carys Havard, 23, who suffered years of unexplained breathing difficulties and fainting, has graduated from Keele University as a doctor and secured a role at the Cardiff hospital where she was diagnosed and treated for laryngomalacia.

As a competitive national-level swimmer, Havard experienced frequent breathlessness and blackouts that were often mistaken for asthma. She said coaches, friends and some healthcare staff questioned the authenticity of her symptoms, which intensified the strain during her athletic training.

In 2020 at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff she received a diagnosis of laryngomalacia, a condition in which tissue folds into the airway, and underwent three operations. She described the diagnosis as providing answers after years of uncertainty.

Havard recalled a distressing episode in A&E where staff initially overlooked her worsening breathing until a doctor recognized she was turning blue and not getting enough oxygen, which led to urgent intervention and the diagnostic process that followed.

She began medical school at Keele in 2021 and had surgery a few months into her first year. Learning she would be returning to work in Cardiff after graduation prompted an emotional response from both her and her mother.

Liberal News Analysis: What Does This Development Mean?

The account highlights the diagnostic journey from misattributed respiratory symptoms to a confirmed diagnosis of laryngomalacia at the University Hospital of Wales, followed by three surgical interventions and subsequent medical qualification at Keele University. The narrative emphasizes both the clinical diagnosis and Havard’s motivation to practise medicine informed by her personal experience.

Quick Glance: What You Need to Know

• Carys Havard, 23, qualified as a doctor after studying at Keele University.
• She was diagnosed with laryngomalacia at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff and underwent three operations.
• Havard experienced years of breathing difficulties and fainting that were often mistaken for asthma.