A mission to make home safer for kids with cystic fibrosis

For most people, a shower is a daily ritual they barely notice. For families living with cystic fibrosis, it can be a source of constant anxiety.

Dr Kak-Ming Ling, a Wal-yan Respiratory researcher at the Kids Research Institute Australia, has been awarded a $25,000 Illuminate Award for her work to change that. Supported by Conquer Cystic Fibrosis, the award was presented at the 2026 Illuminate PitchFest hosted by The Kids.

Her research focuses on a surprisingly overlooked infection risk: the harmful bacteria that live in household water systems and are released as tiny airborne droplets when hot water flows. Health authorities warn that droplets under five microns  are the most dangerous as they can linger in the air and penetrate deep into the lungs. Dr Ling explained that showers produce many droplets in exactly this size range, with the levels spiking highest in the first few minutes of use.

For children with cystic fibrosis, whose lungs are already highly susceptible to infection, repeated exposure of this kind can have serious, cumulative consequences.

Her proposed solution integrates three proven technologies into a single shower system. Water filters would reduce harmful bacteria at the source. Modified spray settings would limit the production of the smallest, most dangerous droplets during that high-risk early shower period. Antibacterial light would suppress bacterial regrowth inside the shower between uses. Together, these layers address the problem at every stage: in the water, in the air, and in the system itself.

The prototype is still to be built, which makes early funding crucial. The science is strong and the components already exist; the challenge now is integrating them together into something families can genuinely use at home.

Beyond the shower, Dr Ling envisions the project forming the basis of a broader environmental surveillance toolkit for cystic fibrosis households, helping families identify where infection risk arise, what can be prevented, and what can be monitored over time.