From patient to doctor: Keele graduate secures role at hospital that treated her rare condition

A former competitive swimmer who repeatedly fainted in the pool before being diagnosed with a rare respiratory condition is returning to the hospital that treated her - this time as a newly qualified doctor.

Carys Havard will begin her medical career at the University Hospital of Wales after graduating from Keele University's School of Medicine.

As a teenager, Carys competed at Welsh national level and dreamed of progressing to British competitions. But despite training and racing regularly, she struggled with breathing difficulties and frequently collapsed in the pool, ultimately forcing her to give up the sport.

After years of uncertainty, she was finally diagnosed in March 2020 with laryngomalacia - a condition affecting the tissues above the voice box that can cause breathing difficulties and other symptoms. She underwent three operations at the Cardiff hospital, transforming her health and bringing an end to years of unanswered questions.

Now, six years later, she is preparing to return to the same hospital's wards as a foundation doctor, in what she describes as a "full-circle moment".

Carys, aged 23, said: "For years, nobody knew what was causing my symptoms. I was repeatedly told it was asthma and, at times, people thought I was exaggerating or making it up, which was incredibly difficult and isolating. Finally receiving a diagnosis gave me answers and completely changed the direction of my life.

"I've wanted to be a doctor since I was five years old, and that ambition was strengthened by my own health journey. To now be starting my career at the same hospital where I was diagnosed, underwent three surgeries and spent so much time as a patient feels incredibly surreal. It truly feels like a full-circle moment.

"When I found out I’d be working there, I burst into tears, and when I told my mum, she did too. It was a very emotional day for both of us.

"Being diagnosed was life changing. It not only transformed my health but also shaped the kind of doctor I want to become. My own experiences have shown me how important it is to listen to patients and take their concerns seriously, especially when they are searching for answers.

"Having seen healthcare from the patient's perspective, I hope that will help me be a more compassionate and understanding doctor."

Carys, from Crickhowell, Powys, started her Medicine degree at Keele University in 2021. Just a few months into her first year, she underwent surgery, and another operation followed shortly before she began her second year.

While studying at Keele, Carys won the title of Miss Earth Wales in 2023 and later travelled to Vietnam with more than 80 other women from across the world to represent the UK in Miss Earth, an international beauty pageant with a focus on sustainability and environmental preservation. While at Keele, she found the confidence to return to the swimming pool and swam 50km to raise money for charity.

It was also at Keele that Carys was diagnosed with dyslexia and dyspraxia, a turning point she said transformed her university experience.  

She said: "I grew up on a farm in rural South Wales, so a big city university was never really for me. I knew I wanted to move away from home, gain some independence and experience living on my own, and Keele's campus felt like the perfect fit.

"At school, I remember looking at words on a page and feeling as though they were jumbled, but I just assumed that was what everyone else saw. When one of my lecturers at Keele suggested I be assessed for dyslexia, it came as a real shock. Looking back, though, it completely changed the direction of my time at university. I'm not sure I would be where I am today without that diagnosis and the support that followed.

"I'd always been told that at university you’re just a number and that nobody really knows who you are. But that wasn’t my experience at Keele. I felt more supported there than I ever did at school or sixth form."