Drew Turner is just like any other football-mad 11-year-old.

She supports Sunderland, and used to like Jack Colback but her favourite player in the world is Cristiano Ronaldo.

Like any young football fan, Drew loves playing more than watching. And in her case she has to battle adversity every time she plays.

For Drew was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis when she was 18 months old, a week after her older sister Neve discovered she too had the disease.

Cystic Fibrosis is a life-shortening inherited disease, caused by a faulty gene, which causes the body to produce thick mucus, which hit the lungs and digestive system in particular.

Medical advances over the last decade mean children like Drew have to take more than 40 tablets a day, and more as adults, but they can lead a more active and normal life. However, there is still no cure.

Mum Phillippa said Drew has only missed four games since she started playing regularly seven years ago.

And that was because doctors would not allow her to take part in any contact sport while she was having treatment intravenously.

She said: ‘When we discovered the girls had CF it was mind-blowing really. I had hardly heard of it, apart from seeing a documentary once, and when I looked it up I thought there was no way they were going to have a life.

‘You have to work harder to keep them healthy, and keep up with meds and physiotherapy, but we were determined to let them get on with life as normally as possible,

‘If anything we have chosen even more physical hobbies and tried everything, no matter how demanding.

‘And Drew has always been into football. She just loves it and when you see her play, you just wouldn’t know.

Drew started playing when she was four, and after a couple of seasons at Sunderland’s Centre of Excellence, she now travels from home in Durham to play in the Teesside Junior Alliance League for Boro Rangers Girls in Middlesbrough.

Striker or central midfielder, the diminutive Finchale Primary School pupil usually catches the eye with her energetic performances and she plays like any other competitive young footballer.

She has had her setbacks of course, like any CF patient. Four years ago she played despite feeling unwell and carrying a nagging cold. After the game doctors discovered she had suffered a partial lung collapse.

Drew is also allergic to a spore that requires treatment with steroids and this has affected her growth.

Phillippa added: ‘I do worry of course but I know what our battle is and Drew tends to keep much worse than Neve who has never been hospitalised yet and she’s nearly 13.

‘It’s harder in the winter but there are no excuses, in fact it’s entirely the opposite, because we tend to do more then.

‘Drew doesn’t know much about CF yet but she is starting comprehensive school next year so we will have to sit down with her, as we did with Neve, and explain exactly what she has, and how she has to manage it.

‘But it won’t change her. And she’ll still be playing football.’

Drew has donated a signed pair of football boots, donated by England and Manchester City footballer Jill Shaw to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.