Asthma Awareness Week is next week

Asthma Awareness Week is next week

Asthma Awareness Week runs from 30 April (Monday) until Sunday 6 May with Balloon Day on Friday 4 May. This year we are focusing on prevention

In Aotearoa 1 in 4 kids struggle to blow up a balloon. Asthma won't let them. Statistics show that our children are also over represented in the hospital admission statistic so we are promoting the key message ‘let's keep our kids out of hospital!’

As you will see by the attached information sheet, each night in hospital costs our health service and the taxpayer $1,200 per night.

We have estimated figures on how many children in each region have asthma as well as DHB admission statistics which show that too many people are ending up in hospital with asthma. For the majority of DHBs, Maori are overly represented in these admissions statistics.

But it's not simply of course a matter of numbers and figures. It's children's lives! Being hospitalised for asthma is often a scary experience for children and very stressful for their parents.

We have 17 affiliated Asthma Societies and Trusts who can help with local information on asthma and the challenges families face when they have a child with asthma. A full list of Societies and Trusts is here - http://www.asthmafoundation.org.nz/asthma_societies.php

The Asthma Foundation asks New Zealanders to get behind them for Asthma Awareness Week (30 April to 6 May). More information about how to do this is available at www.asthmafoundation.org.nz

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