United For Asthma Awareness Week With Powerful Call To Action

Asthma New Zealand is marking the start of Asthma Awareness Week (5 – 9 May 2025), by rallying Kiwis to take asthma seriously and encouraging people living with the condition to seek the support they need to breathe easier.

More than 1 million New Zealanders live with asthma or a respiratory condition. They are the third leading cause of death in Aotearoa and account for one in 11 hospital admissions for adults, with Māori and Pasifika communities among the hardest hit.

To kick-start the week, Asthma New Zealand has united a diverse team of ambassadors — sporting stars and Tamariki and their whānau alike — all living with asthma and determined to show that with the right support, asthma doesn’t have to hold you back.

Appearing together in a new short film here (https://asthma.org.nz/), they include rugby players Julian and Ardie Savea, world champion boxer Mea Motu (Te Rarawa and Ngāpuhi), cricketer Anika Todd (Ngāti Whātua), and former All Black and firefighter Steve Devine. They are by joined by Asthma New Zealand patient ambassadors Alani Smith (3) and twin brothers Regan and Kian Gibbs (10) and their mums to share their powerful stories.

All live with asthma – and are urging others to take control of their breathing now.

Claire Beard, CEO of Asthma New Zealand, says: "These ambassadors have lived experience of asthma. Their stories remind us we’re not alone and that help is available from places like Asthma New Zealand. And thanks to the generosity of our funders, donors and partners, we’re able to offer these services free to anyone who needs them."

Julian Savea was diagnosed at age four and says good management is key. “When I stay on top of it - especially using my preventer - I don’t feel like I have asthma at all.” Younger brother Ardie, diagnosed just two years ago, says he’s still learning and often turns to Julian for advice. They want Pasifika communities to know that asthma doesn’t have to limit your dreams.

Mea Motu’s journey hasn’t been easy – including a well-publicised hospitalisation earlier this year, an experience she says brought home the importance of proper care. Diagnosed in 2021, she reflected on the cultural pressure to “harden up” - something she says many Māori will understand. “I didn’t take my asthma seriously; I was very stubborn. I want other Māori to learn from me. Ask for help!”

For Anika Todd, who plays for the Auckland Hearts and NZ U19s, strong support from her parents helped establish lifelong habits. “I’ve had asthma since I was little, and now my daily management is just second nature.”

Steve Devine says he outgrew childhood asthma but remains vigilant. “I only just passed the fire service lung test and I was fit! That brought home how important lung health is. I’m very careful and I particularly stay far away from smoking and vaping. Oxygen only - that’s it!”

For 10-year-old twin brothers Regan and Kian, meeting their rugby heroes at Eden Park was a dream come true - and a vital reminder that with support, their asthma doesn’t have to stop them chasing big dreams.

Their mum, Olivia Gibbs, says: "Meeting the Savea brothers and throwing a rugby ball around on the Eden Park turf was a moment the boys will never forget, especially when Julian and Ardie opened up about their own asthma journeys."

Mum, Jessica Smith, cares for her 3-year-old daughter Alani, who has chronic asthma. She says: “It’s pretty scary watching your kid not be able to breathe. When she was running around she would often come inside and her breathing just sounded different.

It’s really hard. You always, kind of, on edge and watching and sometimes she doesn’t realise she needs to stop.”

For Jessica, being together with the other ambassadors at Eden Park provided a chance to connect with two strong Māori women who she hopes will one day inspire her daughter.

All of the ambassadors agreed that you can live a better life by getting help and the more you understand the easier it gets. Asthma Awareness Week will remind Kiwis with asthma all over Aotearoa that they don’t have to do this alone, just reach out for free services and support.

Asthma Awareness Week runs from May 5 – 9, 2025. It encompasses World Asthma Day on 6 May 2025, and is quickly followed by International Nurses Day on 12 May 2025.

If you or someone you love lives with asthma or a respiratory condition, Asthma New Zealand offers free nurse appointments and patient education at asthma.org.nz.

Want to help keep these services free? Go to asthma.org.nz/donate or donate $3 by texting Asthma to 849.

Notes:

• Asthma New Zealand is here to help all kiwis breathe easy.
• Founded 55 years ago, Asthma New Zealand has been Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) education, clinical support and training service provider.
• We focus on supporting patients, families / whānau, health professionals and wider communities to manage these conditions. Our Nurse Educators work directly into the community and provide nationally recognised training amongst the health sector.
• Our goal is to reduce death, hospitalisations and GP visits and make a positive impact on the lives of those living with these conditions.

About Asthma:

• 1m+ (13%) Kiwis are living with Asthma or a respiratory condition.
• Respiratory illness contributes to 1 in 11 hospital visits for adults.
• Children are 3x more likely to be hospitalised than adults.
• There is an Asthma attack every 2.5 minutes in New Zealand. ***
• There were 1,095 preventable deaths 2008 – 2021. *
• Today, there are 96 deaths from asthma per annum. *
• Asthma and respiratory illness are the 3rd leading cause of death in New Zealand.
• Treatment mainly lies with a strained GP network; many have closed books.
• 41k people with Asthma and 60k people with respiratory illness are unenrolled with a GP (6%). **
• Māori and Pasifika people have the lowest rates of GP enrolment and support.
• The cost of Asthma and respiratory illness to the health system is $1.2b+ p.a.

All unmarked statistics taken from:

https://www.asthmafoundation.org.nz/research/key-statistics

* Source:

https://www.ehinz.ac.nz/indicators/population-vulnerability/socioeconomic-deprivation-profile/#new-zealand-index.of.deprivation.nzdep

** Source:

https://www.health.govt.nz/publications/annual-update-of-key-results-202122-new-zealand-health-survey

*** Source:

https://www.resmedjournal.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0954-6111%2823%2900253-6

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