Help Beat Asthma - Buy A Dyson Vacuum Cleaner

Help Beat Asthma - Buy A Dyson Vacuum Cleaner

For every new Dyson vacuum cleaner sold during April and May of this year Dyson will contribute $5 to the 'help beat asthma' campaign, which aims to help people in New Zealand breathe easier.

One in four New Zealand children are currently diagnosed with asthma, which means someone in your family is, or could be affected,” says the Executive Director of the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation of New Zealand, Jane Patterson.

The Foundation is pleased to have Dyson's support as it will raise awareness about asthma and its triggers - particularly dust mites - as well as providing necessary funding, says Ms Patterson.

"Reducing exposure to dust mites is an important part of managing asthma for people who have a dust mite allergy.

"Using vacuum cleaners like a Dyson with a HEPA filter is recommended for people with asthma and an allergy to dust mites, as they are one of the more common triggers."

Brett Avery, Dyson New Zealand’s distributor, says people usually react to the allergen in dust mite droppings that make up house dust particles.

“These droppings as well as food particles, pollen, fungi, bacteria, soil and chemicals can be removed by vacuuming with a Dyson with a HEPA filter, leaving the expelled air 150 times cleaner than the air we normally breathe.

"Dyson's unique Radix cyclone technology, means the Dyson maintains constant suction room after room. This combined with the Dyson’s HEPA filtration system that catches particles down to 0.01 microns – the size of cigarette smoke particles - also kills bacteria and moulds on contact," says Mr Avery.

A brochure produced by Dyson, available throughout New Zealand from leading electrical retailers, contains information on how to reduce dust mite exposure as well as how to contact and support the Foundation.

"The Foundation advises people with asthma, who suspect that dust mites are a trigger, to get an allergy test done first," says Ms Patterson.

Reducing exposure to asthma triggers is basically common sense. For reducing exposure to dust mites the Foundation recommends damp dusting surfaces once a week. Feather dusters are no good as they only serve to stir up the dust particles back into the air.

The Foundation also suggests vacuuming floors once a week, as well as vacuuming other furnishings including mattresses.

For people with very high allergic reactions to dust and dust mites it is better if someone else vacuums and empties the vacuum cleaner. Or if they must, only vacuum one room a day to limit the length of exposure.

Other ways to reduce exposure is to use barrier bedding, such as mattress and pillow covers that provide a barrier to dust mites.

Dyson's main objective in supporting the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation is to promote long-term solutions and better outcomes for those with asthma and respiratory conditions, whilst raising funds for the organisation.

With this commitment in mind Dyson is also sponsoring the Foundation's team in the Fletcher Challenge Forest Marathon in Rotorua on 1 May 2004. ENDS

Statistics

One in four New Zealand children have asthma. Asthma is the most common cause of child hospital admissions. One in six New Zealanders are affected by asthma. New Zealand has one of the highest rates of asthma in the world. It is estimated that asthma costs New Zealand $825 million per year in direct and indirect costs. 1 in every 200 deaths is due to asthma. It is estimated that 300 million people worldwide have asthma. Rates of asthma are expected to rise over the next two decades.

The Asthma and Respiratory Foundation of NZ (Inc.) is a non-governmental charitable organisation that provides education, information, advocacy and research on asthma and other respiratory conditions. All of our resources are free to download from www.asthmanz.co.nz

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