About 22 000 Waikato kids live with asthma

Asthma and Respiratory Foundation
Media Statement
For immediate release
6 May 2009

About 22 000 Waikato kids live with asthma

The Asthma and Respiratory Foundation’s message that about 1 in 4 Kiwi kids has asthma translates into about 22 000 Waikato kids under 15 living with the illness, says Foundation Executive Director, Jane Patterson.

‘That’s the populations of Cambridge and Morrinsville combined, which is huge,’ says Jane.

Jane was commenting on these shocking asthma statistics during Asthma Awareness Week, 4-10 May, 2009. The Week is part of the Foundation’s Balloon Day asthma awareness and fundraising campaign.

Asthma and Respiratory Services Waikato and the Foundation are raising asthma awareness and funds for child asthma research.

One aspect of this year’s Balloon Day campaign is a focus on what asthma means to communities in terms of the number kids – and therefore families – affected and the negative impacts on education.

’22 000 that is a lot of young lives. Also, if we take the 500 000 school days lost to asthma annually across Aotearoa, we are talking something like 45 000 school days lost in this region to asthma, ‘Jane says.

If people want to help Kiwi kids breathe easier they can support the Balloon Day campaign at: www.asthmafoundation.org.nz

ENDS

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