The year isn't over yet, and I have a lot to tell you

Dear Friend,

As we approach the end of the year, I have been reflecting on all that has happened and think that 2020 will indeed be a year remembered for how it has changed our way of living. While we can never know what the future holds, nor the longer-term impacts of COVID-19, we are grateful to be able to continue to serve our community and for the trust and confidence of our funding partners and donors who have stood by us.

I’m pleased to report that in the last couple of months we have moved forward on various projects and been able to reach even more people with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The most exciting is our Paediatric Respiratory Hub, which opened in September and has been so positively received, reinforcing the significance of this service.

We have a number of interesting things to share with you today, from tips to living well with COPD, to information on creating a robust Will and activities that not only keep you fit but can also help the important work we do here at Asthma WA.

I hope you enjoy the read and if you or someone you care for has asthma and/or COPD and would benefit from speaking to our Respiratory Health Team, please call us on our free Helpline 1800 ASTHMA (1800 278 462).

With best wishes for health and happiness,

Donna Rendell
Chief Executive Officer
Asthma WA

Live well with COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an umbrella term for a group of progressive lung diseases such as:

Emphysema
Chronic bronchitis
Severe asthma

Living with COPD makes it difficult for you to breathe, and you may find everyday tasks a real challenge.

This year for World COPD Day, on the 18th November, we are encouraging people to live well with their COPD.

While it may seem daunting at times, introducing new healthy behaviours and skills can make a real difference to your quality of life.

To achieve this, people living with COPD with the support of their health care team and families may have to adapt their routines and learn new strategies and skills. Some changes may be minor, whilst others such as quitting smoking, taking medications as prescribed and exercising regularly will require more motivation and engagement on their part.

How we served you in 2019-20

Asthma WA’s Annual Report for 2019/2020 has just been released and contains an overview of the achievements of the last financial year thanks to our funders and supporters.

Over 4,600 people accessed our various education and support programs and an overview of these can be found within.

View Annual Report

Telethon 7 Family Festival 2020

Each year, Channel 7 Telethon Trust invite their beneficiaries to join in all the fun at the Telethon Family Festival and this year was no exception. Our team had a great day connecting with the community to talk about asthma and our important work from the APM Charity Trail. Puff also had a blast collecting high-fives and elbow bumps and hanging out with his good friend Fat Cat.

Thanks to Channel 7 Telethon Trust, our new Paediatric Respiratory Hub opened in September; bringing together a team of professionals to provide a thorough assessment, diagnosis and tailored education for children aged 5-18 years – all in the one appointment.

It’s a free service and we couldn’t do it without you, Telethon! Thank you also to the Fremantle Dockers Foundation and Bunnings for donating some great prize giveaway on the day.

One-stop paediatric respiratory service now open

The journey endured by children and their families while seeking a diagnosis to manage their child’s respiratory condition can be arduous and at times, frightening. As advocates for the Western Australian asthma community, Asthma WA set out to improve this process so that children with respiratory symptoms can have a faster and more concise diagnosis, while parents are supported to learn how to monitor and manage their child’s respiratory symptoms with confidence.

The service launched in September with strong interest from the community and health sector, and although the Paediatric Respiratory Hub has only been operating for a short period of time, we have already received positive feedback from those who have accessed the service.

“Our journey with Cooper* has not always been easy and for much of it we have all felt helpless and a little alone. I came away from today feeling happier and more confident than I have ever done before from an appointment with him. I really valued your input as we have never been "taught" how to use Cooper's puffers, so it was good to be reassured that we have been doing it right.”

*name changed for privacy

Click on the button below for details on how to access this service.

Flying high for National Asthma Week

On the 3rd of September, many people woke to the surprising sight of a blue hot air balloon floating quietly over Perth’s inner-city suburbs. The Asthma WA balloon certainly had people talking, with 6PR and Channel 7 also speaking with us about asthma and our services.

Thank you to Windward Balloon Adventures for the opportunity to ‘raise’ the issue of asthma in WA and encourage more conversations around its prevalence and impact in our community.

Photo courtesy of Dennis Tan Creative

The Alchemists: Precious Wines

Wine enthusiasts look here for a special treat!

Whether it’s turning base metals into gold or divining wine from grapes, alchemy is the magical process of converting one substance into another.

The Alchemists is a family-owned vineyard, owned and operated by husband and wife team Brad and Sarah Mitchell with minimal intervention. When it comes to the winemaking, ‘minimal intervention’ means they are free from chemical adjustments and where possible, only natural indigenous yeasts are used and the wines are a true expression of the vineyard.

Breath2Go – Trial participants needed

Do you care for a child with asthma? Do you have issues around medication use during a flare-up? Local Western Australian developer, Nyan Walker has created a device that has the potential to make an enormous difference to asthma management and asthma first aid.

As the father of two children with asthma, and one of those with special needs, Nyan is familiar with the distress of visiting the hospital emergency department.

“Something that has always stuck in my mind was while we were being shown how to use the asthma spacer and face mask on my son. He was screaming and the nurse reassured us that this was ok because if he is screaming, he is breathing, and if he is breathing, he is getting the required medication.

While I understood what she meant, the sight of him being so fearful of his spacer made me determined to find a way to help him, and other children just like him, to be more at ease,” explained Nyan.

Nyan has since developed the Breathe2Go; a device that attaches to the child’s spacer and connects it to a mobile app which can help guide them through the steps to taking their reliever medication.

A finalist in the 29th Lateral INCITE Awards for Social Impact, Nyan and the Breathe2Go team are seeking children to participate in a trial of the device. More information on how to be involved is available on their website.

Benefits of a nasal rinse

When you breathe through your nose, some of the inhaled particles can get lodged there. This may set off allergic symptoms such as sneezing, runny or blocked nose, itchy eyes and itchy nose, all of which are indications that your nasal tissues are inflamed or irritated.

The use of nasal or sinus rinses has been around for decades to relieve symptoms from both hay fever and colds.

A nasal or sinus rinse has many names (also known as sinus irrigation, sinus wash or nasal douche or a nasal flush). Put simply, an amount of saline solution in a squeezable bottle is used to help wash the nasal passages, sinus cavities and the back of the throat. It is simple to administer, many resultant benefits.

Learn more

Containers for Change

An exciting initiative called Containers for Change has launched in WA, offering people the opportunity to recycle their eligible containers while also making a positive impact on both environment and community. When you recycle your containers at one of the many refund points found across our state you will get a refund, which you can either keep or donate to a charity such as Asthma WA.

It’s simple to use and can have double the impact.

Collect eligible containers
Take them to a refund point
Donate your earnings

Check your containers

Eligible containers include most aluminium, glass, plastic, steel and liquid paperboard drink containers between 150ml to 3L. They must be included on the scheme’s list of products and display the refund mark. To check if a container is eligible, click the button above and enter the barcode.

If you choose to donate (and we’d be so grateful if you did), make sure you have our unique code or QR code handy.

Asthma WA unique code: C10312183

More information

Looking for your next physical challenge?

The Rottnest Channel Swim is officially back on the calendar and set to take place on Saturday 20th of February 2021.

Why not sign up as an individual or join a team (you could swim or support someone who is!) and fundraise for Asthma WA.

For details on how to register, click on the button below and select Asthma WA as your chosen cause!

For more information on how you can support Asthma WA, contact our Community Engagement Team on (08) 9289 3600 or email community@asthmawa.org.au We’d love to hear from you!

Learn more

New pro bono legal partner

Western Australian law firm, Lavan is our proud pro bono legal partner. If you are considering including Asthma WA in your Will or you would like estate planning advice, Lavan is pleased to offer a free 30 minute consult to Asthma WA supporters. Initial enquiries should be directed to Lorraine Madden at Lorraine.madden@lavan.com.au.

View Lavan's Fee Schedule for Asthma WA supporters

Home-made Wills – a cautionary tale

You’ve no doubt seen or heard of them – the ‘easy’ Will kits you can do at home and your assets and family will all be secure. We recommend discussing any changes to, or the creation of your Will, with a lawyer and your family first. Here is an interesting article by our pro bono legal partner, Lavan, that might get you thinking twice about the DIY Will kits.