Claire Smith, a 38-year-old midwife from Dudley, has revealed she suffers up to a dozen infections annually after contracting pneumonia at age 14. The illness led to life-threatening sepsis, a collapsed lung, and a two-week induced coma. The lasting damage resulted in a diagnosis of bronchiectasis, a long-term condition where damaged airways trap bacteria, causing frequent infections. Claire now has only 50 percent lung function.
From Struggles to Strength
Initially, Claire struggled with simple tasks like walking upstairs or playing football. However, she found confidence in weightlifting in her early 30s and took up running at 36. In October 2025, she completed a 50km trek across the Sahara Desert, and in April 2026, she ran the TCS London Marathon in memory of her mother, Margaret O'Sullivan, who died in May 2025 at age 68 after battling bronchiectasis and emphysema.
Claire said: "If I'd let this defeat me, my lungs could be in a very different way right now and I probably wouldn't be the active mum that I am. I want to have a good future with my children and I want to run around with my grandchildren. I think everybody deserves that."
The Devastating Diagnosis
Claire's pneumonia began with flu-like symptoms. Despite a week of antibiotics, she worsened, becoming lethargic and delirious. Her step-mum called an ambulance, and Claire was rushed to New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton, where she was placed in an induced coma due to sepsis and a collapsed lung. Medics prepared her parents for the worst multiple times as two bacterial infections overwhelmed her body and organs began shutting down.
After waking, Claire needed physiotherapy to walk again. She spent a month in hospital and six months being home-schooled. Follow-up tests confirmed bronchiectasis, requiring two months of antibiotics and steroids to reduce inflammation. Steroid side effects included nausea, tiredness, and a "moon-faced" appearance.
Living with Bronchiectasis
For 24 years, Claire has experienced near-constant chest infections and regular medical monitoring. Last year alone, she had 11 courses of antibiotics and sent off nine mucus samples. She said: "It's just about catching it quickly, which I think I've got better at doing the older I've got, because I know how I feel a lot quicker than I used to."
Claire's training as a nurse and midwife helped her understand her condition better. She pushed through her fear of breathlessness and began weightlifting in her early 30s, progressing to running by her mid-30s.
Honoring Her Mother
Claire's mother Margaret was diagnosed with emphysema in March 2023—despite never smoking—and later with bronchiectasis in March 2024. In December 2024, doctors diagnosed a rare form of interstitial lung disease. Before her death in May 2025, Claire promised to run the London Marathon in her memory. She trained with a 50km Sahara trek and completed the marathon alongside her husband Matthew, both wearing pictures of Margaret on their running tops.
Claire said: "She's had my back all the way and she's always been my biggest supporter, so I had to have her with me."
