Racing for Every Breath

Cystic fibrosis affects around 500 New Zealanders. It's a condition most people have heard of but few truly understand — which is exactly why stories like Kirsty Parsons' matter so much.

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In March 2026, Kirsty became the first known New Zealander with cystic fibrosis to complete an Ironman. She crossed the finish line in Taupō in just under 15 hours, having swum 3.8km, cycled 180km and run a full marathon — all while managing a condition that primarily attacks the lungs.

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Payper is a long-term partner of Cystic Fibrosis New Zealand, supporting the organisation's media and communications work across multiple campaigns. For Kirsty's Ironman attempt, Payper worked with CFNZ to build a two-phase media strategy: a pre-race feature to introduce Kirsty's story, followed by post-race coverage once she crossed the line.

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The result was seven stories across a strong mix of outlets. The NZ Herald ran both a pre-race and post-race feature, RNZ's Morning Report interviewed Kirsty live the following day, and regional outlets including Lake FM, Taupo News and The Breeze's House of Wellness show all picked up the story. The NZ Herald also shared the story on its Facebook page, extending the reach further still.

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For a campaign centred on one person's determination, the coverage spoke for itself — and helped put cystic fibrosis in front of an estimated 915,000 people.