For as long as he can remember, William Daniels has been fascinated by science and medicine. Born and raised in Vancouver, he studied biology and neuroscience, worked in cancer research, and is now a medical student.

Alongside his academic journey, William has faced a health challenge that has shaped nearly every part of his life: chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP).

Early Signs and Struggles

The first symptoms appeared in his teens. Growing up with eczema and psoriasis, William was used to skin flare-ups, but in high school things escalated. His mornings often began with relentless sneezing – sometimes twenty times in a row. He was constantly wiping his watery eyes or dealing with a runny nose, even in the middle of exams. Then one day, while walking to sports practice, he suddenly lost his sense of smell and taste.

While at UBC (undergraduate program) it was impossible to study in silent areas because I was such a nuisance.

At 19, William finally received a name for his condition. An ENT specialist performed a nasal endoscopy and within minutes confirmed what years of GP visits had missed: CRSwNP.

“For the first time, it made sense. It was validating to hear that all the medications hadn’t worked because I needed more than allergy pills. I needed surgery.”

Surgery and a Turning Point

William underwent a three-hour endoscopic sinus surgery at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver. Surgeons removed the polyps along with part of the posterior nasal septum, as well as small amounts of tissue and bone, to open up blocked pathways that had been closed for years.

“The surgery unleashed a potential I never knew I had.”

His sense of smell and taste slowly returned. Foods, scents, and everyday experiences felt brand new. His sleep improved, his mood lifted, and his ability to focus on academics skyrocketed.

“In high school and early university, my grades were terrible. I couldn’t concentrate, couldn’t retain information. After surgery, everything changed! I went from the bottom of the class to the top almost overnight.”

Managing a Lifelong Condition

While surgery gave William his life back, CRSwNP is chronic and can return. To prevent regrowth of polyps, he follows a strict daily regimen of medications. Steroid rinses help control inflammation, and because of the severity and early onset of his disease, he also takes a biologic medication originally developed for asthma.

“Some medications are thousands of dollars per dose. If it weren’t covered, I simply couldn’t afford it. Access to these drugs is life or death in terms of quality of life.”

He also avoids alcohol as much as possible, which triggers severe flare-ups, and manages his health with vigilance. “If I slip on my meds, the disease is right there, ready to take over again.”

Living with a Rare, Misunderstood Disease

CRSwNP is relatively rare, and William has never met another person living with it outside of clinical settings. The lack of awareness means many people spend years undiagnosed, mistaking it for allergies or recurrent sinus infections.

“People don’t realize how devastating this can be. You have no idea what you smell like. You can’t gauge whether the shirt you put on stinks or if your gym clothes are too gross to re-wear. The social ramifications are actually quite detrimental and people don’t forget. Even cologne becomes a guessing game: did I put on too much, or not enough? Small things that no one thinks about, but people will notice if you mess up.

You lose the smell memory. Simple life joys like the smell of your own home, your friends, or your dog – it’s gone. I feel like smell is such a powerful reminder of memories, and when you don’t have it, you can’t make new ones and you can’t enjoy old ones. And of course, there’s food. You can’t taste anything – food sucks.”

William hopes that more attention will be paid to CRSwNP and to the barriers patients face in accessing effective therapies.

Looking Ahead

Today, William is thriving in medical school, balancing his studies with managing his condition. His lived experience gives him a unique perspective on medicine, as both a researcher and a patient. His research has included research of CRSwP – biobanking tissue and collecting stem cells from nasal (sinus) samples to develop an in-vitro model of the condition.

He hopes more attention will be paid to CRSwNP and the barriers patients face in accessing effective therapies. “These treatments change lives, but they’re out of reach for too many people. We need better awareness, better access, and more research. Because no one should have to suffer like I did for so many years.”