Kirsty’s second chance

For most athletes, ANZCO Foods IRONMAN New Zealand, held last month in Taupō, represented a single defining day of endurance with its 3.8 km swim, 180 km cycle and 42.2 km run. For Kirsty Parsons, it symbolised something far greater — a second chance at life.

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Q. Tell us about your life with cystic fibrosis (CF) and why you’re so passionate about spreading the word about this condition?

I’ve never known life without CF. I was born with it and grew up thinking that daily physio sessions, regular hospital stays, and the stress of constantly managing the risk of infection was normal. It placed a lot of pressure on me and on my mum and dad who had to manage my health as well as living their lives and caring for my brother and sister.

About seven years ago, a drug called Trikafta was created and I was lucky enough to be part of some of the early clinical trials. Before starting on Trikafta my lung function was 40–50%, my quality of life was declining, and my life expectancy was poor. Within weeks of starting the drug my health had been transformed. While Trikafta is not a cure for CF, it offered me a second chance at life that was so much better than what I’d ever experienced. From then, I’ve wanted to make the most of that second chance and make a meaningful difference for others in the CF community. Cystic Fibrosis NZ supported my family in so many ways over the years, so raising funds by participating in ANZCO Foods IRONMAN New Zealand was one small way I could repay their kindness and help make a difference for others who haven’t been as lucky as I have.

Q. What did it mean to you to take part in ANZCO Foods IRONMAN New Zealand?

It was obviously huge for me personally, but it was also a major milestone for my family. Standing on that start line felt like something we had all earned together. It also meant a lot for me to be representing others in our community living with CF. CF has historically been a lonely journey as cross infection risks mean we can’t meet in person. I wanted to do ANZCO Foods IRONMAN New Zealand to show young kids with CF what is now possible thanks to Trikafta, and there really is no limit to what they can aspire to achieve.

Q. What role did nutrition play in managing your CF as you trained for ANZCO Foods IRONMAN New Zealand?

Nutrition has always been critical in keeping me well. From a young age, doctors and dietitians drilled into me that food was medicine, and for many years I had a gastrostomy tube delivering 2,000 calories overnight because I was so underweight. This was because, with CF, the built-up mucus in my body blocks the release of digestive enzymes, meaning I don’t absorb food effectively. I take 20 tablets per day, with every meal that provide me with those enzymes so my body can properly absorb nutrients from my food.

Even with the benefits I get from using Trikafta, there’s a finite amount of energy I can burn each day because my body is working far harder than a healthy person to fight bacteria and manage inflammation. When I don’t fuel my body and pace myself, I can feel the adverse impacts immediately. Since I don’t absorb food effectively, choosing high-quality, nutrient-dense foods makes a measurable difference to how I function, and it was essential to give me the energy to train for ANZCO Foods IRONMAN New Zealand. Beef and lamb are an important part of my diet. They provide high quality protein for muscle repair, along with iron, zinc and B12, which support oxygen transport, immunity and energy levels.

Iron is especially important for females competing in endurance sports. When I consciously increased my beef and lamb intake during my peak training blocks, I really noticed a measurable benefit. I was bouncing back from sessions better, recovering faster, and supporting my immune system.

Q. Tell us about your relationship with ANZCO Foods.

Preparing for an IRONMAN requires commitment and resources. Having a partner like ANZCO Foods, who genuinely understands the role of nutrition and good health for everyday performance and who has a proven passion for IRONMAN, was a natural fit. It was great to be part of their race team, alongside more than twenty ANZCO Foods employees and ten of their farmer suppliers from across the country. Beyond their commitment to this specific event, having organisations like ANZCO Foods support community causes like Cystic Fibrosis NZ is so important. It helps people like me share our stories with more New Zealanders and build awareness of the great work that’s being done by so many organisations in communities across the country, who offer support through the highs and lows of life-changing illnesses. 

Q. What’s the next challenge for you?

In terms of sporting endeavours, I would love to keep ticking off physical challenges. I haven’t ruled out another ANZCO Foods IRONMAN New Zealand, as it’s such a special event. Building a CF community around this, and opening the door for others to train for similar events, would be great!  Taking on ANZCO Foods IRONMAN New Zealand wasn’t just about finishing a race and getting the medal. For me it was always about honouring the people who have supported me over the years, as well as respecting how lucky I’ve been. ANZCO Foods IRONMAN New Zealand gave me a great chance to prove that with the right mindset, the right support, and the right fuel, my body is capable of far more than I ever believed.