Lisa - Asthma Ambassador: "Nothing Else Matters when you can't breathe"

Would you be shocked to know that 80 Kiwis die from asthma every year?

I was and that is why I have become an ambassador for Asthma NZ.

Over the next 5-months I will be working with Asthma NZ to raise awareness, understanding and money so we can reduce this number.

I was horrified to know that Asthma costs NZ over $1 billion dollars every year. Imagine what we could do with that money if asthma wasn’t the problem it currently is.

Our goal is to reduce asthma hospitalisation by 50% by 2029. We have plenty of time if we all help out.

I will be asking for your help on this journey. The more people understand about asthma the better we will all breathe.

A bit about me:

I work in healthcare, disability, and wellness. Though asthma is not my area of specialty many of my

clients are affected. I chose to get involved to learn and understand more about the experiences of

people living with asthma, and for the opportunity to give back to NZ and to New Zealanders, and to do so in a way that is about connectivity and education.

My yoga teacher says the only thing you have to do is breathe - so many of us take for granted this

basic function. I listen to the dialogue around ableism, the way language tends to assume that there is a normal way to be human. I think there is interesting juxtaposition between the language around

breathing and mindfulness and the experience of people who can’t ‘just breathe’. I think this project

gives us a chance to bring this different human experience into conversation.