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National | Poverty

Native Affairs - Waiting to exhale

Imagine living with a lung disease so savage your body struggles to maintain its own weight. A lung disease so debilitating, even the simplest of tasks can leave you completely exhausted.

That's the reality for Northland woman, Esther-Jordan Muriwai, who suffers from Bronchiectasis, an incurable disease that dilates the airways.

Bronchiectasis is on the rise among Maori, and its killing our kids at 7 times the rate of non-Maori. But despite the grim prognosis, Esther's getting on with life and she's determined to help other tamariki get on with theirs too

Billie Jo Hohepa Ropiha met a remarkable young woman on a mission.