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World Asthma Day will be marked on May 6 in a bid to help to improve asthma awareness and carethroughout the world.

Some 80 countries mark the event including Bermuda, thanks to the Open Airways charity.

Open Airways will be hosting an awareness event at City Hall on Tuesday, May 6 and everyone with asthma is invited to attend with their inhalers from 11:30am to 2:30pm/ There will be free asthma education, free spacers for everyone and instruction on how to use them effectively, free pillows or a microfibre cleaning cloth will be distributed (while supplies last).

There will be bands playing and choirs singing during the Hour of Air celebration. Liz Boden of Open Airways said: “Too many people think they have to cough and wheeze every day because they have asthma.

This is not true. Open Airways coordinates the island wide asthma education programme, training the health care professionals, educating the community, the students and teachers in every school and helping the individuals who suffer with asthma.

We have access to medications to control asthma — which are safe and effective.

Too many people only take these controller inhalers when they have asthma — their effect builds up over weeks and must be taken every day to keep asthma away.

Open Airways also provides basic equipment needed to control asthma.

“The message is simple…no one need suffer with asthma in Bermuda.

Take your preventer medication every day and avoid triggers whenever possible.

Get asthma education with an asthma nurse — one hour of your life may change your life, it may even save it.”

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