Cystic fibrosis sufferer who has to work out five times a week just to stay alive lands career as a fitness model thanks to his rippling abs (and now he wants to pose for Calvin Klein) 

• Ben Mudge's terrifying ordeal began when he was just seven hours old
• Training five times a week has enabled him to keep his lung function at 98%
• Snapped up by supplement brands and wants to look like a superhero

By Bianca London for MailOnline

Published: 06:41 EST, 28 April 2015 | Updated: 02:03 EST, 29 April 2015

Whilst  most twenty-somethings take their fitness seriously, for Ben Mudge, who has been living with cystic fibrosis since birth, it’s what keeps him alive.

Although working as a personal trainer and fitness model allows 25-year-old Ben to make a living, being an expert in his diet and training helps the Belfast-born fitness fanatic fight off potentially fatal illnesses - even something as simple as a mild chest infection.

Training five times a week has enabled Ben to keep his lung function at 98 per cent, a percentage seldom found in those suffering from cystic fibrosis at a similar age. 

'I never want to give up on my fitness,' Ben, who works at PureGym in Newtownabbey, County Antrim, told FEMAIL. 'Because I live in fear that my cystic fibrosis will pop its head up again.' 

Ben Mudge, who has been living with cystic fibrosis since birth, trains five times a week to keep it at bay - and he's landed a career as a top fitness model as a result

His terrifying ordeal began when Ben was just seven hours old. He went into surgery to clear out his bowels as his inability to pass waste was an early tell of cystic fibrosis.

'It was a scary time,' Ben told FEMAIL. 'But my childhood was pretty normal to a certain degree, my parents never sheltered me but I was always aware there was something different about me. 

'I remember having to take tablets with every meal and the other kids at school didn't understand so I would always try and take them as quickly as possible so that no one would notice.'

As Ben grew up, he started to pay more and more attention to his diet. His doctors had told him to consume a high fat diet, essentially advising him to eat calorie-laden junk foods, which didn't sit well with him.

Training five times a week has enabled Ben, pictured, left, in his early teens before bulking out, and, right, with his new physique, to keep his lung function at 98 per cent, a percentage seldom found in those suffering from cystic fibrosis at a similar age

Ben's terrifying ordeal began when he was just seven hours old and he went into surgery to clear out his bowels as his inability to pass waste was an early tell of cystic fibrosis

When he was 18, he took control of his health and started working out regularly and eating a healthy diet full of good fats, such as avocados and salmon, and lean proteins. 

'This made an unbelievable difference,' he said. 'I completely stopped having stomach problems.'

At that time, he was keen to pursue a career in the film industry and even managed to land a job working on the first series of Game Of Thrones. 'I knew it wasn't for me,' he admits.

'The hours were too long, I had no time to work out or make healthy food choices and being outside all the time wasn't great for my chest. Someone on set noticed how into my health and fitness I was and advised me to look into a career as a personal trainer.'

Ben became a personal trainer - and says it's the best decision he ever made. 'I'm addicted to working out,' he said of his dream job

Supplements companies have snapped Ben up to front their campaigns, and a huge athletic modelling agency recently got in touch with him

He did just that - and says it's the best decision he ever made. 'I'm addicted to working out,' he said. 

'I want to look like a superhero. Steroids are so rife in the industry but I took the slow and painful route of getting fit and I always want to improve.'

His doctors are impressed with how it's helping his health, too. 'Exercise forces me to use my lungs, which helps beat mucus build up,' he explained.

A fellow personal trainer at his local gym in Belfast told him to enter a fitness model competition - and despite having 'no idea what he was doing', he won.

After that, he began getting picked up by supplements companies to front their campaigns, and a huge athletic modelling agency recently got in touch with him. 

'My parents are pushing me to become a model,' he said. 'I want to pose in my underwear for Calvin Klein. I have a huge scar on my stomach from my operation I had when I was born and I think it makes me unique,' he said.

Although he's landed his dream career, there's still one job Ben would love to do.

'I want to be a skydiver,' he said. 'After all, you only live once.'

Getting Nosey about Cystic Fibrosis from the CF Trust

'I want to look like a superhero', admitted Ben, who says steroids are so rife in the industry but he took the slow and painful route of getting fit 

A fellow personal trainer at his local gym in Belfast told him to enter a fitness model competition - and despite having 'no idea what he was doing', he won; now he wants to be a Calvin Klein model

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