World Asthma Day an ‘overwhelming success’ (Update)

Hundreds of schoolchildren descended on City Hall yesterday to celebrate World Asthma Day.

Youngsters from across the island dressed in colourful costumes and sang themed songs on the City Hall steps as part of the annual initiative to improve asthma awareness across the world.

The event was organized by local charity, Open Airways, which provides on-the-spot advice to scores of children and adults about the condition and how it can be treated. While representatives from the charity also gave away free spacers, pillows and microfibre cleaning cloths as part of the awareness campaign. Open Airways founder, Liz Boden, described the event as an ‘overwhelming success’.

She added: “The whole team was delighted with the incredible number of people that came to City Hall. It was an amazing day; the sun shone, the crowds came to listen and we were able to provide asthma education to around 150 people.” 

Health Minister Trevor Moniz added: “Too many people think they have to cough and wheeze every day because they have asthma.

“This is not true. Here in Bermuda we are lucky to have access to medications to control asthma - which are safe and effective.”

In Bermuda asthma is the most common long-term condition affecting over 9,000 people.

One in five children and approximately one in 10 adults have asthma, which is one of the highest rates of asthma in the world.Mr Moniz added: “I would like to personally encourage everyone who has asthma to take control and learn how to manage your asthma. Learn more and breathe better.

“See your doctor, make an appointment with an asthma nurse and get a personal Asthma Action Plan. 

Thank you for joining me here today to mark World Asthma Day – an annual event organized by the Global Initiative for Asthma to improve asthma awareness and care throughout the world.

80 countries around the world will celebrate this day in different ways.

I would like to commend Bermuda’s representative organization Open Airways who has sponsored and coordinated this event locally.

Asthma is common, disabling, distressing and often misunderstood. But the good news is that it is treatable.

Open Airways has invited everyone who has asthma to come (with their inhalers) to City Hall today from 11.30am to 2.30pm where they will be giving away free spacers, free pillows or a microfiber cleaning cloth (while supplies last!) and free asthma education.

The prevalence of Asthma is escalating around the world and has reached epidemic level.

In Bermuda, Asthma is the most common long term condition affecting over 9,000 people. 1 in 5 children and approximately 1 in 10 adults have asthma - this is one of the highest rates of asthma in the world.

More people miss time from school or work due to asthma than any other disease….and more prescriptions are filled for asthma than any other disease.

Additionally, poorly controlled asthma is a huge burden on health care costs. There were over 2000 visits to the Emergency Room for asthma last year – each of these visits could have been prevented…and each tells us we still have a lot of work to do.

Open Airways’ theme for World Asthma Day this year is Why Wheeze when Asthma is Treatable?  Too many people think they have to cough and wheeze every day because they have asthma.  This is not true. Here in Bermuda we are lucky to have access to medications to control asthma - which are safe and effective.

I would like to personally encourage everyone who has asthma to take control and learn how to manage your asthma.

Learn more and breathe better.

See your doctor, make an appointment with an asthma nurse and get a personal Asthma Action Plan.

There’s no need to suffer with asthma.

Thank You.