By BY CINDY SCHUMACHER – | Sep 16, 2022
The Allergy and Asthma Network and Carmen’s family will honor her memory by educating the public about asthma care.
The program assistant for the County of Maui Department of Housing and Human Concerns is an asthma patient. Rosa wants to share her story about her battle with asthma in order to help other people who are going through the same thing.
After hearing about the death of a Maui resident from an asthma attack,Rosa wanted to reach out to people with asthma and allergies in the community.
The upcoming Lungs for Life event and program is being spearheaded by Carmen’s sister, Lalaine. No one on Maui will have the same devastating experience as Carmen.
There will be a vendor at the first Maui Asthma Awareness and Fitness Lungs for Life event.
The owners of Level Up Maui are trying to educate and empower the Maui community when it comes to their health. The purpose is to raise awareness about asthma and allergies.
The main goal of the event is to improve the health and well being of the public. The participants hope that the occasion will improve quality of life and achieve optimal health outcomes for the adults and children living with these chronic conditions.
asthma and allergy information and fitness instruction for all ages are included in the program. The Allergy and Asthma Network supports patient outreach, education, advocacy and research for people with asthma, allergies and similar conditions. Approximately one-third of Hawaii residents are children who live with asthma. I wanted to inform others of the need for asthma and related conditions. Better breathing and improved lung function can be achieved with treatments for asthma. Asthma attacks can be prevented if you use your inhaler daily and monitor your health.
When I was in high school, I had a problem. When I mentioned to the coach and others that I was having a hard time breathing, they told me it was nothing to worry about. I was diagnosed with asthma after I went to the doctor. I want to help educate the community and let them know of all the treatments and help that are available now that I know how serious the problem can be. People with asthma don’t have to suffer on a daily basis with symptoms that can be life threatening.
The family and friends of Carmen will be hosting the event. 60 million Americans are affected by asthma, allergies and related conditions.
Individuals, families, caregivers, health professionals, industry partners and government decision-makers are part of the patient centered network. The network promotes evidence based standards of care and makes medically accurate information understandable to all.
After losing my sister Carmen to an asthma attack, I reached out to the Allergy and Asthma Network to learn how to inform the community. They work with national and local partners to train healthcare professionals and host events and screenings in their own communities. I hope to raise awareness and educate the community with them. I would like to advocate on the state level to improve access to care. The patient voice is important in drug development.
The Hawaii State Senate recently passed a bill requiring the Department of Education to teach asthma education to students. Asthma training would be provided to teachers and other Department of Education employees. There is a companion bill in the Hawaii House of Representatives.
Asthma and allergies can affect anyone of any age, race, gender or general health. Many genetic and environmental factors are thought to play a role in the development of the immune system. Severe allergies can start at any age.
Asthma attacks can cause the lungs to become swollen and inflammation. More mucus is produced when the breathing tubes tighten or spasm. The narrowing of the breathing tubes and the difficulty in getting air into and out of the lungs are caused by these factors.
During a recent report on Asthma Awareness in Adults on KITV 4 News, Dr. Barry Lachman said, “Asthma is controllable if you follow the recommendations and take your medication.” There are a lot of people who don’t get over their asthma. It’s more likely that asthma will persist if you start having problems early on.
Asthma is a pressing issue for Hawaii according to the executive director of the American Lung Association. 9% of adults and 8% of children in Hawaii are currently living with asthma according to the Hawaii Department of Health. Asthma rates in Native Hawaiian communities are higher than in the rest of the country.
Asthma is the number one reason for missed school time, and many parents have to rush their children to the emergency room when they have asthma attacks. It’s important to let people know that asthma is a serious problem.
Many asthma and allergy sufferers are not aware that there are self-care tools for managing their symptoms between doctor’s visits. On September 25th, we hope to give you this kind of information. If proper treatment had been known and administered, Carmen’s tragic asthma attack might have been avoided. Asthma information is offered by the American Lung Association. Call 1-800-LUNG-USA to speak to a lung health expert or visit thelung.org to find resources.
Visit AllergyAsthmaNetwork.org to learn more.