What is the project about:

Asthma and Allergy Foundation Launched My Breath is My Life Project on the 21st of September 2018 to address the lack of asthma education and support for children and young people with asthma, despite the high incidence in Grampian.

Over the next three years, the charity will deliver a range of essential asthma workshops and management sessions as well as provide practical support to help children and young people with asthma in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire to better manage their symptoms and enjoy a greater quality of life.

This worthwhile project was only made possibly by a substantial grant of £136,560 from the National Lottery Community Fund.

Outcome: Through this funding, the charity has supported about 1,000 children and young people with asthma in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. What continues to be our best success is the children and young people who we have supported, reporting feeling more confident about managing their asthma and telling their friends about asthma – with no stigma or shame about their condition. Parents who only get a 10-minute appointment with their GPs are able to get tailored advice and support for their unique circumstances and in follow up conversations express being able to provide better care and a safe environment for those in their care at home and that with an improvement in their knowledge about asthma they can get better care from their GP/ asthma nurse – reducing the frequency of symptoms, emergencies, and hospitalisation.

My Breath is My Life workshops are playing a critical role in promoting asthma-friendly schools by helping these schools work to create safe and supportive learning environments. 100% of Teachers and staff are more confident in supporting pupils with asthma to learn effectively at school. Teachers said there is an improved attendance for pupils with asthma.

Jayne, a teacher in Aberdeen, who attended a virtual workshop commented “The session yesterday was fantastic!  Everyone needs to attend it! I’ve already shared your info with a few friends who work across schools in the city!”.

Head Teachers said they cannot over emphasise the relevance of the support given to schools through My Breath is My Life Project. A. Wilkinson, Head Teacher said, “the asthma workshop was very well pitched with regards to the age of participants, good visuals in the PowerPoint with humours pictures, keen motivated presenters, would be useful to put the PowerPoint out to health boards so could be used as part of national health programme for schools”. 

Potential for a greater impact: 

We are offering Philanthropists, CSR, Trusts, and Foundations the opportunity to directly support over 10,000 children and young people with asthma by helping us make My Breath is My Life a national Scottish project.

By partnering with Asthma and Allergy Foundation, you have the opportunity to directly impact on the quality of life of children and young people with asthma by helping them learn to manage their symptoms, improve health and academic excellence; And also equip teachers and other school staff with the necessary skills to support school children with asthma.