Carys Havard, 23, a former Welsh national-level swimmer who fainted in the pool due to a rare respiratory condition, is returning to the hospital that treated her as an NHS doctor. Diagnosed with laryngomalacia in March 2020, she underwent three operations at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff, ending years of unanswered questions and enabling her to become Miss Earth Wales in 2023.
From patient to doctor
Havard, from Crickhowell, Powys, studied medicine at Keele University and is now set to return to the same hospital's wards as a foundation doctor. She 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."
"I was training up to nine times a week and these symptoms affected me daily. I would lose consciousness in the pool, but then I'd start breathing again - it was a very, very scary ordeal indeed. Finally receiving a diagnosis gave me answers and completely changed the direction of my life."
A full-circle moment
Havard recalled an A&E visit where "everyone sort of... leaving me in the corner" and she was "wheezing and wheezing until I did collapse". She said: "Everyone sort of just said 'oh', rolled their eyes and there was this one doctor who said 'no, she turned blue'. They said 'no, this is dangerous, she's not getting any oxygen to her brain' and that was where the ball started rolling. I want to be like that doctor who understands how helpless a patient can be in that moment and I want to listen to everything that that patient says to me."
She started her medical degree in 2021 after diagnosis, undergoing surgery during her first year and another before her second year. Laryngomalacia causes skin tissue to fold over into the airway; surgeons use instruments through the mouth to trim and reshape the floppy tissue over three operations.
Miss Earth Wales and other achievements
While studying, Havard won Miss Earth Wales in 2023, traveling to Vietnam to represent the UK in the Miss Earth pageant, which focuses on sustainability. She also swam 50km for charity and was later diagnosed with dyslexia and dyspraxia. She said: "I grew up on a farm in rural 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."
Emotional return
Havard was thrilled to secure a job at the hospital that treated her. She said: "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."
