But knowing baby William, his first child, was on the way gave Trevor the strength to keep going while he waited for a double lung transplant earlier this year. Born with cystic fibrosis, which affects one in 2500 babies, Trevor was extremely sick as a child. In and out of hospital, he credits his parents for keeping his airways clear, giving Trevor and his sister physiotherapy for four hours a day. “They got me into swimming when I was about five,” he says. “When I was sick, Mum would pick me up at lunch from school to do physio and take me back.”
Managing cystic fibrosis requires a high calorie diet and Trevor had malnutrition problems as a child. From the age of 12 to 15, he had a nasal gastric feeding tube. About that time he suffered a severe fungal infection in his lungs which nearly killed him.
Then for about a decade, Trevor was relatively healthy. He played golf, went fishing, surf-skied and coached softball. In his 20s he started primary school teaching and took a job in a remote community in Cape York. “I enjoyed the lifestyle, the fishing,” he says. But after a year Trevor’s illness worsened and he returned to Brisbane where he was close to his doctors. In 2001, Trevor met fellow teacher Natasha and in 2006 they were married. Meanwhile, Trevor’s illness was getting progressively worse, and then he rapidly deteriorated. About five years ago he had to move to a part time job in curriculum development, leaving the classroom he loved. “It took ages to walk 50 metres,” he says. “All my energy was spent concentrating on breathing.” One of the effects of cystic fibrosis can be infertility. Trevor and Natasha underwent a gruelling IVF process with several failed attempts before Natasha finally fell pregnant. On his birthday this March, Trevor was referred to Dr Peter Hopkins, the Director of the Queensland Centre for Pulmonary Transplantation and Vascular Disease at The Prince Charles Hospital. By that time, Natasha’s pregnancy was more than half way along and they were both still working. It was only a few weeks after being listed that Trevor’s transplant came through. He spent a fortnight in hospital, with Natasha now overdue. The excited ward staff worked out a plan to help Trevor be present for the birth, but he was discharged just nine days before 11 pound William made his appearance. “The baby spurred me on,” Trevor says. “There’s a whole more to live for with a baby coming.” Having only known Trevor since he’s been unwell, Natasha is amazed at her husband’s rapid recovery. “He’s been sick the whole time we’ve been together,” says Natasha. “Now he’s lifting the pram and carrying William.” “I can’t believe how he survived on so little breath before,” she says. The instant relief provided by his new lungs have Trevor chomping at the bit. He’s got a huge list of things to do, including getting back to the classroom, seeing his beloved New York Yankees play a home game and learning to play golf properly. “I haven’t been able to go to the beach and swim,” he says. “I’d love to take a four-wheel-drive trip to far north Queensland.” But most importantly, Trevor’s now able to spend time with his new son, and his wife Natasha whose love and support never wavered throughout his illness and in post-transplant recovery. “The world is my oyster,” he says. “I can do anything I like.”