Asthma Management Awareness Campaign

High Hospitalisation Rate for Children Due To Asthma Prompts Response from Asthma Foundation WA and Telethon

Asthma puts more Australian children in hospital than anything else.

This alarming statistic prompted the Asthma Foundation WA to join forces with Telethon to create the largest awareness campaign ever undertaken by the Foundation.

Thanks to the generous support from Telethon, the Asthma Foundation WA will launch a community awareness campaign designed to reach the parents and carers of children with asthma.

The campaign message is about empowerment.  - 'You can't see asthma but you can control it and let your child enjoy a full life so don't let it hold you back'.

Visit www.controllingasthma.org.au to download a number of important resources about asthma, including "10 Things To Ask Your Doctor". On the site, you can also download an Asthma Action plan and book an appointment with a GP. Take this Asthma Action Plan with you to the GP and fill it out with their assistance and you are well on your way to getting your child's asthma under control!

Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition that affects 1 in 10 Australians and put 1,529 WA children in hospital in 2009/2010, however it does not need to hold you back from enjoying life.

The campaign focuses on empowering the parents and carers with the knowledge to properly manage and control their child's asthma by getting an Asthma Action Plan from their doctor, tailored to suit their child's condition. Many parents aren't aware, or forget that asthma changes as their child grows so the plan needs to be reviewed with their GP every six months.

Without the support from Telethon, a mass campaign such as this would not be possible. The Asthma Foundation WA is extremely grateful to Telethon for pledging their commitment to this campaign and ensuring the Foundation can reach a larger audience with its message.

The funds received from Telethon have meant that the Foundation will receive exposure on Channel 7, West Australian Newspapers, West Australian Regional Newspapers and GWN7, a level of exposure that we wouldn't have the capacity to reach otherwise.

It is hoped that through this campaign, the hospitalisation rate for children due to asthma will decrease in WA and more West Australian children will be able to live their lives to the full with well managed and controlled asthma.