Dear Friend,

Today marks the start of Spring and National Asthma Week! We’ve just come out of a fairly wet winter and thanks to the balance of rain and sunshine over the last few months, our State is now looking to have an abundance of flora this season. While it’s a wonder to the eye, for many people with asthma it can be problematic, so in this edition, we have a number of tips on how to prepare and stay well this season.

We are also launching Asthma WA’s Wheezy Walk – where we’re challenging people to take a step for every Western Australian with asthma in October. Read on to find out more – we’d love to have you join us!

We’re also looking for people to join our online Consumer Advisory e-Network. Your experiences and view are incredibly important as they help shape our services and how we communicate with you. It’s voluntary and really flexible, so let us know if you are interested by completing our quick survey below.

Finally, I want to acknowledge that it has been a challenging time around the world with increasing conflict and concerns. It’s hard to escape it sometimes, so I do hope that as you read this edition you feel uplifted.

Wishing you all the very best in health and happiness,

Donna Rendell
Chief Executive Officer
Asthma WA

National Asthma Week

It’s National Asthma Week (1-7 September) and this year we are highlighting some of the common misunderstandings and challenges often faced by the people our Respiratory Health Team support every day. If you are on Facebook and Instagram, jump in and join the conversation.

Also, check out the many places lighting up in blue to shine a light on this special week and we invite you to light up blue for asthma too. It would be fantastic to see places all over our vast State lighting up this year.

• 1st September: Optus Stadium, Matagarup Bridge, Yagan Square and Sky Ribbons of Light (Graham Farmer Freeway entry and exits)
• 2nd September: Yagan Square and Elizabeth Quay
• 3rd September: Yagan Square, Elizabeth Quay, Trafalgar Bridge and Council House
• 4th September: Yagan Square, Elizabeth Quay and the Bell Tower
• 5th September: Yagan Square
• 6th September: Yagan Square and Elizabeth Quay
• 7th September: Yagan Square and Elizabeth Quay

Be sure to also check out our Allergic Rhinitis Checklist which will help you prepare and manage your asthma and hay fever.

Our Allergic Rhinitis Checklist was made possible thanks to the support of our Corporate Sponsors, Flo Nasal Health.

Paediatric Respiratory Service turns one!

“Having the Paediatric Respiratory Hub has been great; a one-stop-shop to get tests done, you can get advice and also see a specialist in the one place. It has really helped our family.” - Client of Paediatric Respiratory Hub

Since opening the Paediatric Respiratory Hub a year ago, we've had a very positive response from families and health professionals who have been referring to the service.

Currently, it's running for up to three days a month in Cockburn and growing in popularity as more and more people learn of the service and the impact it is having.

Thank you to Channel 7 Telethon Trust, the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation and our wonderful donors, who make this life-changing service possible.

If you are someone who has asthma, COPD or another respiratory condition, cares for someone with asthma such as a parent, partner, family member or friend then we want to know what you have to say.

The Consumer Advisory e-Network will be engaged primarily by email, so you can participate at whatever time suits you best and can either be very active or only respond to those items you are more passionate about. We are aiming for a variety of people with different experiences, severities, conditions, ethnicities, genders, ages and regionality – so please invite others to join too.

Interested? Simply complete the short questionnaire below to help us understand more about you and your reasons for wanting to get involved.

Join us as we walk for Western Australians with asthma

Most of us take breathing for granted, but as someone who is familiar with asthma or COPD, you know it isn’t always easy for everyone.

Not being able to take a full breath or living with fear that you won’t be able to breathe at all is the reality for so many Western Australians with asthma. But with the right support and understanding, it is possible to live well with confidence.

And you can help make it happen.

Register and take part in Asthma WA’s very first Wheezy Walk and make every breath count this October.

This event is open to everyone – whether you have asthma or just want to support those who do. So gather your tribe and join us as we talk and walk together for better respiratory health.

Our Respiratory Health Educators, Mel and Charlene also visited Bunbury and Manjimup where they ran an education session for 41 staff at the Bunbury Baptist College as well as 13 individual lung function tests and education sessions in Manjimup. Thanks to GP Down South for their assistance in making this happen through their Down South Aboriginal Health program.

And look at these smiles! Respiratory Health Educators Julie and Shelley attended the WA Pharmacy Students Association Expo where they were able to talk about asthma and COPD with some of our up-and-coming pharmacists and how Asthma WA can help them and their clients to manage their respiratory health.

If you’re interested in running an asthma education session for your workplace or community group, contact our Respiratory Health Team on (08) 9289 3600 to discuss your needs or visit our website for more information.

How hay fever can affect your child's sleep

Hay fever (allergic rhinitis) is common in babies and children as well as adults. Perhaps you’ve noticed symptoms similar to a cold, flare up more frequently in your child during pollen season. These symptoms may impact your child throughout the day and worse still, at night when they need their rest. Symptoms like coughing, itchy or sore throat, a runny or blocked nose can mean disrupted and poor quality sleep for your baby or child and for the rest of the family!

Our Corporate Supporters, Flo Nasal Health, offer some useful tips for managing your child’s hay fever to improve their sleep.

A touch of laughter and inspiration

If you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed by the state of the world we live in, you’re not alone. We, as a global community have gone through a lot; lockdowns, quarantine and isolation, loss of personal closeness and connection, civil wars and unrest, climate change reports…the list goes on.

Focusing and worrying about all of these things is exhausting, so we asked our team and community what they are doing to bring some relief to their lives. We wanted to share these with you too, in hope they also spark some ideas and remind you of some of the beauty and love we still have in this world.

For a bit of inspiration:

• Simon Sinek’s “The power of kindness”
• Thai Life Insurance as from 2014 “Unsung Hero”, it warms your cockles!

Community, friends, hobbies and just because:

• Walking and playing ball with your dogs
• Getting into the garden to plan, pull and reorganise
• Sending a message to a friend saying ‘it’s time to do some squats, let’s go!’

If you are on Facebook or Instagram:

• Jimmy Rees – the ‘funny COVID guy’ who creates satirical videos such as ‘Meanwhile in Australia’, giving our country’s States and Territories their own personalities. Check him out on Facebook or Instagram
• Celeste Barber – actor, comedian and writer, known for her parodies of modern celebrity and the unrealistic expectations they create on social media. Check her out on Facebook or Instagram

Podcasts:

• Myths and Legends by Jason Weiser – putting a different spin on myths you think you know and some you’ve likely never heard of
• Fortunately…with Fi and Jane, BBC Radio 4
• Smartless with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett
• You’re dead to me, BBC Radio 4 – great for history buffs, bringing together history and comedy

Calming:

• Yoga
• Meditation

Bingeworthy TV:

• The Other Guy on Stan
• Never Have I Ever on Netflix

Teresa helped out wherever she could. From database entry and filing to event support, she was always willing to roll up her sleeves and pitch in where she could. A true team player.

A year later, an opportunity arose for Teresa to make the jump from volunteer to employee as she became a receptionist for our organisation. If you have ever called or stopped by our offices and shop, you will likely be familiar with her warm voice and friendly face greeting you.

When Teresa is not wearing her Asthma WA hat, she enjoys turning her attention to creative, social and relaxation activities such as sketching and oil painting, walking, bowling, and spending time in her beautiful green garden.

Teresa also likes to start her day with some meditation.

“Try and meditate first thing in the morning, get comfortable, find a quiet place and breathe! It’s a nice way to start the day refreshed, awake and on track for a mindful day.”

Some of these strategies include:

• Washing bed linen weekly in hot water, above 55°C
• Removing soft toys from bedrooms or wash weekly, the same as bed linen
• Using dust mite resistant covers on mattresses, pillows and doonas. Visit our online shop to view a range of products available
• Removing sheepskins and woollen underlays
• Vacuuming rugs and carpets weekly – ideally using a vacuum with a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter, while the allergic person is absent
• Dusting surfaces with a damp or electrostatic cloth regularly (including hard floors)

Calling all P&N Banking Members

If you bank with P&N, you can nominate Asthma WA to receive a fantastic donation of up to $2,000 through P&N Bank’s Helping &nds program!

It’s easy - just head to P&N Helping &nds and nominate Asthma WA as your chosen group/charity.

Helping &nds is a program that supports those in need in our community. It enables P&N members to nominate deserving WA individuals or community groups to receive much needed financial or services support.

Existing P&N Bank members can nominate a group or local charity and, each quarter, P&N Bank will feature the top ten nominated groups on their website for members to cast their votes.

• Stewart & Heaton Clothing for supporting our Paediatric Respiratory Hub by supplying our team with new scrubs
• AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim and Novartis for sponsoring our Health Professionals education series
• ENT (Flo) for sponsoring our National Asthma Week activities
• Niche Medical for part-sponsoring our EasyOne Pro Lab lung function testing machine
• Stan Perron Charitable Foundation for funding our new EasyOne Pro Lab lung function testing machine
• Alcoa ‘PEACH’ for funding our three new spirometers
• Lavan Legal for providing pro bono legal advice
• Beyond Bank for their donation through their Community Reward Program

• National Asthma Week – 1st to 7th September
• Father’s Day – 5th September
• Women’s Health Week – 6th to 10th September
• R U OK? Day – 9th September
• Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday (WA) – 27th September
• Asthma WA’s Wheezy Walk – 1st to 29th October

• Pride Month – October

• Mental Health Week – 9th to 16th October

• World Mental Health Day – 10th October

• Telethon Weekend - 17th October

• Children’s Week – 23rd to 31st October

You are receiving this email as a previous supporter of Asthma WA.