Chief Executive
Letitia Harding
Deputy Chief Executive, Research & Education Manager
Joanna Turner
Office and Donor Appeal Administrator
Christina Goss
Grants and Fundraising Executive
Pam Francombe
PR & Comms Marketing Manager
Chloe Bradwell
Marketing & Communications Advisor
Sam Treseder
Māori Community Liason
Sharon Pihema
Corporate Sponsorship and Engagement Advisor
Amy-Rose Todd
Marketing Assistant
Jack Perris
Medical Director
Dr James Fingleton, BM, PhD, FRACP
Ground Floor, 85 The Terrace, Wellington 6011 PO Box 1459, Wellington 6140 04 499 4592 asthmafoundation.org.nz
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4. Community News
Catch up on what happened this World Asthma Day and find out about our new teen art competition aiming to raise awareness of vaping harms.
5. Your vaping questions answered
Our expert panel share their insights on how parents can recognise if their child is vaping, and how to protect them.
6. Breathe Better September
Breathe Better September is underway! Find out how you can get involved.
8-9. The science of vaping
Dr Kelly Burrowes is leading a research programme on vaping at the Auckland Bioengineering Institute, her article answers frequently asked questions about vaping.
10. Our Better Breathing Heroes
Find out how Nick Ashill and Josh Brodie, are supporting the Foundation this September and beyond.
11. New Zealand Respiratory Achievers' Awards 2023
Meet two Respiratory Achievers' Awards
2023 Winners Liam Dulver and Taumata o Te Ra Lowe.
You can also read this magazine online
Just head to issuu.com /betterbreathing
12. Physiotherapy for asthma
Respiratory physiotherapist Zoe Manderson explains how physiotherapy can help people with asthma manage their symptoms.
13. Understanding Oxygen Therapy
Oxygen therapy is given to people who have persistently low levels of oxygen in their blood. It can be useful for some people with lung conditions, like COPD or bronchiectasis.
14. Asthma Societies
Find the details of your local asthma society for friendly, specialised support, information and resources.
plans to climb Mt Kilimanjaro to raise money for the Foundation.
We thank all of these exceptional athletes for supporting the Foundation with their inspirational stories - you can read more about Nick and Josh on page 10.
Kia ora koutou,I always look forward to this time of year as we move out of the damp, cold winter months and into the brighter spring season! For the Foundation, this time of year is particularly exciting and busy as we start our biggest annual fundraising campaign; Breathe Better September.
The Foundation receives no government funding, so all our work is made possible by the generous support from our community funding groups, our donor family, our Friend of the Foundation Sponsors and New Zealanders who share our goal of improving respiratory health in Aotearoa. The money we raise during Breathe Better September goes directly to our essential work providing resources, education and advocacy on behalf of the 700,000 Kiwis with respiratory conditions.
This year we have some exceptional individuals supporting our work. You may recognise the name Nick Ashill, an ultramarathon runner who has completed some incredible long-distance runs, while also raising money for the Foundation. Last year, he raised over $10,000 for the Foundation finishing the final leg of a 5400km run across America. For Breathe Better September 2023, Nick has set himself a new goal: to beat his record of running non-stop for 24 hours while raising funds for the Foundation's mahi. By the time this magazine reaches you, Nick will have completed this incredible effort.
I would also like to introduce you to another amazing Foundation supporter, Josh Brodie. Josh is a former professional cricketer who struggled throughout his childhood with asthma. He is hoping to raise up to $50,000 for the Foundation by completing the Taupō Ironman in March 2024.
Finally, Adam Faatz is a former American soldier with a special connection to New Zealand. Adam has pulmonary fibrosis and
On the cover of this issue is the winning entry from the Foundation’s first-ever national art competition for teens, to raise awareness about the harms of vaping. We received more than 280 entries in the ‘Don’t Get Sucked In’ Poster Challenge from intermediate and secondary students across the country! We ran this competition to encourage young people to learn more about the risks of vaping and to share these messages with their peers. The standard and number of entries was amazing, and indicates that young New Zealanders really do care about the harms vaping causes to their wellbeing and the environment.
The Foundation is committed to educating our young people on the harms of vaping both through our vaping education website, ‘Don’t Get Sucked In’ (www. dontgetsuckedin.co.nz) and through interactive workshops for schools run by our Āpiha Takawaenga- Māori (Māori Community Liaison), Sharon Pihema. It is so important for parents and caregivers to be well-informed about vaping so you can have open conversations with your young person. In this spring magazine, we share some useful information to help you have those chats.
On page 8, learn about the science of vaping from Professor Kelly Burrowes, a researcher at the University of Auckland who studies the impact of vaping on the lungs. On page 5, we share excerpts from a recent webinar with the Vape-Free Kids New Zealand Facebook group - with practical advice from both Sharon and me on how to help your child deal with the pressures of vaping.
Noho ora mai Letitia Harding Chief Executiveannounced the winners of the first ever 'Don’t Get Sucked In Poster' Challenge. The competition ran from May through to the end of June, inviting students from Year 7 through Year 13 to design a poster highlighting the risks of vaping in a creative way. The competition ended with over 280 fantastic entries from students across Aotearoa!
It was a tough task judging one overall winner and four runners up, considering the amazing effort and incredibly high standard of the entries. The number and quality of entries showed that our rangatahi have
risks that vaping poses to their own health, as well as the health of others and the environment.
The overall winner is 13-year old Alexandra from Wellington, whose entry is shown on the front cover of this magazine!
Congratulations to our winners and a big thank you to everyone who entered!
The five winning posters are now all available for download on the 'Don’t Get Sucked In' website. The winners each received a $100 art kit and share $500 worth of Prezzy cards.
The Foundation recently held a webinar for a group of parents wanting to learn more about the harms of vaping and how to protect their young people. Foundation Chief Executive Letitia Harding and Māori Community Liaison Sharon Pihema discussed what they have learned from their work in vaping harm advocacy and education. Here is some of the advice they shared:
Has there been any research on the harm vaping can cause?
Letitia: There’s a lot of research now around the effects vaping has on the respiratory system, the circulatory system and the heart. We try to upload the most recent clinical papers onto our 'Don’t Get Sucked In' website, so that’s a good source of information. All of the research we share is from respected, peer-reviewed medical journals. It’s also important to note that medical societies across the world are of the same voice. They believe that vapes need to be highly regulated and that they are harmful to the lungs.
Sharon: It’s a hard one. When I’m talking with young people, we spend quite a lot of time looking at the marketing and the advertising of vapes. That’s a real eye-opener for our young people when they see how blatant, obvious and manipulative all of those marketing strategies are. It helps them to start connecting the dots between the product, the nicotine, how addictive it is and the impact it’s having on them and their friends and family. I like to approach it in a non-judgmental way, just giving them that information so they can take it home and talk about it with their whānau.
Sharon: Often it’s not until they have to quit or they have to go without nicotine for a while that they actually notice how addicted they are. When you reach that point where young people feel safe enough or confident enough to open up honestly, they will tell you how many vapes they use in a week and where they are getting it from. They will talk about having to have one as soon as they wake up or when they go to sleep.
Sharon: I can only answer from my own experience with my daughter. We suspected it for a while, but it wasn’t until she got
caught at school that we could sit down as a whānau and talk about it. It took a while to get through all her defensive walls until we could finally get the truth about just how bad her vaping was and how much she was struggling with it. Our first reaction was to blame our daughter, get angry, and throw all the vapes out, but we then did some research. Once we understood the whole addiction cycle, it changed our mindset as how we as parents could be supportive and helpful. So my advice would be to keep having conversations, keep trust and communication open, and look for local support if you’re lucky enough to live somewhere that does have support for rangatahi.
Where can you get support for young people who want to quit vaping?
Sharon: That’s the missing chunk of whole equation - that support is really lacking.
Letitia: It’s worth looking at the local Quitline service in your area, because although there’s not a national strategy around this and there is a big gap, there are some service providers who are doing some good work.
How do I prepare my child? She is 10 and I am worried she will be exposed to it soon.
Sharon: I’ve done workshops with Year 5 and 6 students because they are being exposed to it and some are starting to vape. It’s definitely worth having those conversations with children of that age. Get hold of some good evidence-based information and keep your conversation simple and age-appropriate. Give them some strategies or things they could say if they are in that situation when they’re offered a vape.
Letitia: There do need to be stricter regulations in place. At the moment, it does feel like trying to capture the horses after they have already bolted. The Government is trying to put in the regulations, well after they were needed. What we can do collectively, is keep our voices out there and make sure decision-makers know we don’t want any more specialist vape retailers in our communities, we don’t want high nicotine levels, we don’t want storefront advertising. We need to keep on pushing for greater regulation in this space to protect young people and future generations.
For more teen-friendly information on vaping, visit our website: www.dontgetsuckedin.co.nz
As we settle into spring, September is a key month for the Foundation. The Foundation operates with no contract Government funding and is solely reliant on generous grants, sponsorships, and donations. Respiratory conditions like asthma, COPD and sleep apnoea affect 700,000 New Zealanders. That’s 1 in 7 of us. It’s the third most common cause of death, costing $7 billion each year.
The Foundation’s purpose is to lead respiratory health knowledge through research, education, and advocacy, with the goal to reduce respiratory-related hospitalisations, and improve respiratory health outcomes for all. The Foundation works to achieve this through a combination of activities including developing clinical best practice, encouraging self-management, improving health literacy, delivering education, and raising the national profile of respiratory disease in New Zealand.
This September, long-time supporter Nick Ashill is back to raise funds for the Foundation as he aims to break his 24hr running record.
Accompanied by friends, supporters, and backed by Silver Friends of the Foundation and key event sponsor Comfortech, Nick will be running laps of the Boyd-Wilson Field in Kelburn, Wellington.
Nick’s run is scheduled for the 8th-10th of September, and
respiratory disease in NZ. For Professor Ashill, this is more than just another ultramarathon. "Every lap I take symbolises the everyday struggles and challenges faced by those with respiratory issues.
"By channelling my passion for running into a cause so close to many, I hope to make a tangible difference in the respiratory health community," he said.
Foundation Chief Executive Letitia Harding shares, "We are
His dedication and this unique campaign will undoubtedly shine a light on the pressing respiratory health challenges many New Zealanders face." Together, with every stride Nick takes, the community can assist by making strides in respiratory health education, research, and support.
By donating to support the Foundation this September, you will go in the draw to win one of 40 Samsung AX90T Air Purifiers generously donated by Mercury.
Pulse Energy is thrilled to extend its Gold Sponsor partnership with Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ (ARFNZ).
The energy retailer is passionate about supporting the health and wellbeing of New Zealanders and has been a Friend of the Foundation since April 2021. Pulse Energy’s commitment helps ARFNZ, which receives no government funding, to continue to provide critical research, advocacy and education for the 700,000 Kiwis living with respiratory conditions.
“As a community-focused energy company, we want to do everything we can to ensure that Kiwis can be healthy in their homes. We share that vision with the Foundation. Warm, dry, healthy homes play a critical role in improving respiratory health and we’re delighted to continue to support an organisation that’s making a real difference to New
Zealand families,” says Pulse Energy Chief Executive Officer Sharnie Warren.
Pulse Energy is no stranger to supporting local causes. As a 100% community-owned business, Pulse Energy sponsors a wide range of community-focused events across New Zealand and partners with some of the country’s most beloved Super Rugby teams, including the Highlanders and the Crusaders.
Pulse Energy is also responsible for the award-winning Pay it Forward Programme. A joint initiative between Pulse Energy and its customers, the Pay it Forward Programme provides financial support to families experiencing energy hardship – a widespread issue that affects about one-third of New Zealand households.
Under the Programme, energy-vulnerable households can receive support with heating their homes and creating healthier living environments, which is crucial for people living with a respiratory condition. As New Zealand has one of the highest rates of asthma in the world, the Programme has been extremely well received - both by recipients and the generous contributors who make the initiative possible.
Through the partnership with ARFNZ, Pulse Energy aims to bring awareness to the positive impact warm, dry homes have on respiratory health.
Pulse Energy is a 100% community-owned electricity retailer that provides electricity, gas, and broadband to homes across New Zealand.
As a community-focused energy company, we want to do everything we can to ensure that Kiwis can be healthy in their homes.
Sharnie Warren, Pulse Energy Chief Executive Officer
Doctor Kelly Burrowes is leading a research programme on vaping at the Auckland Bioengineering Institute. She has created a social media platform to share her knowledge in this area.
Despite the popularity and social normalisation of electronic cigarettes (ECs), science still hasn’t reached a consensus on the health implications of long-term vaping. On the one hand, vaping or ECs offer a tool for smokers to quit, helping to relieve the huge health burden associated with smoking. On the other hand there has been increasing uptake by never-smoking children and adolescents with the number of young New Zealanders aged 15 to 17 who vaped daily quadrupling from 2018-2021 [1]. Here, we include a few questions and answers based on this content.
Vapes are a type of electronic nicotine delivery system that deliver an aerosolised liquid, called an ‘e-liquid’, to the user. Vapes are battery-operated devices which power an atomiser (heating coil and wick material) to create the aerosol or vapour.
The main ingredients in an e-liquid are propylene glycol (PG) and vegetable glycerine (VG). These are solvents that are used to dissolve and carry the other ingredients. The other ingredients being flavourings and nicotine.
All these ingredients are what’s known as “generally recognised as safe” for use in food. They haven’t been tested for safety on inhalation. When the e-liquid is heated, some different chemicals can be formed.
Some studies, including ours, have found things like formaldehyde and heavy metals which come from the heating coil.
How long have vapes been around?
Early prototypes of devices resembling an e-cigarette emerged as early as the 1920s. One of the first ones (~1930) was designed to hold medicinal compounds for inhalation. This never made it to market. The invention of the current EC is attributed to Chinese pharmacist Hon Lik
who registered a patent for the modern vape in 2003. Vapes entered the European and the US markets in 2006 and 2007. It wasn’t until 2018 that vapes, containing nicotine were freely able to be sold in New Zealand.
There is some confusion on how the amount of nicotine in e-liquids is quantified. The problem comes from the difference between freebase nicotine and nicotine salts. Freebase nicotine is the purest form of nicotine. Nicotine salts are salts formed by combining nicotine with an acid to create a nicotine salt compound. Different acids can be used to do this but one of the most common is benzoic acid.
vaping causes changes to blood flow and blood vessels and in the long-term can lead to stiffer blood vessels and higher chances of cardiovascular disease. Several studies have also shown that vaping causes inflammation. This is the body’s normal response to something foreign entering the body. Long term/chronic inflammation is associated with damage to the tissue in many parts of the body.
A 2023 study looking at the association between use of vaping products and insufficient sleep among adolescents (collecting data from ~28,000 adolescents) in the US found the following:
• Current vapers showed 40% increased odds of insufficient sleep, compared to adolescents who have never vaped.
• Former vapers showed 28% increased odds of insufficient sleep, compared to adolescents who have never vaped.
• Physical activity had a protective effect on insufficient sleep.
Previous studies have shown that nicotine is a risk factor for disrupted sleep. Symptoms of depression, suicidal ideation, excessive screen-time, and alcohol use were also associated with a higher likelihood of insufficient sleep [3].
The maximum amount of nicotine allowed in disposable vapes in NZ is 20 mg/ml. This is the freebase amount of nicotine and has been shown to be equivalent (in blood) to smoking a conventional cigarette [2]. To work out what this would equate to for a nicotine salt, we need to know how heavy the chemical molecules are. This is called the molecular mass. Without going into detail here, a nicotine salt product that has a concentration of 35 mg/ml will contain 20 mg/ml of actual nicotine. A nicotine salt that is 50 mg/ml in concentration is equivalent to 28.5 mg/ml of freebase nicotine.
There is a lot of research focussing on this around the world and the answers aren’t yet clear. What does look likely is that
Have you seen the 'Don’t Get Sucked In' website?
Created by us, it contains lots of informative content with the aim of encouraging teens not to pick up vaping (or smoking) in the first place, by challenging them to do the research and think critically about vaping. Check out the quiz to see what you already know about vaping!
It’s important to note that while vaping can be a potential harm reduction tool for adult smokers looking to transition away from traditional tobacco products, it is not without risks. Research is ongoing to better understand the health effects of vaping, including the long-term implications for both users and non-users.
The Foundation is very lucky to have the support of some incredible individuals undertaking epic efforts to raise funds for our work. Here are stories from two of our better breathing heroes.
Wellington marketing professor and ultra-marathon runner Nick Ashill is one of the Foundation’s most committed and inspiring supporters. Not only has he raised thousands for our work, he has inspired people all over the world with his story of recovery, courage and forgiveness.
In 2022 he completed the final leg of a 5,400km fundraising run for the Foundation across the US. He began this run in 2017, but it was cut short after he was seriously injured in a hit and run accident. Nick needed 16 surgeries, and had to learn to walk, and then run again, before returning to finish his run.
Nick now has a new goal in sight: a 4000km run across Australia from Perth to Sydney in March 2024 to raise funds for the Foundation. He has begun training for this newest adventure and, for Breathe Better September, he is undertaking a special challenge as part of the build-up. Nick aims to break his personal record of running non-stop for 24 hours straight, in a bid to raise funds and awareness for respiratory disease in New Zealand.
As a child, Josh was told by a doctor that he should give up his dream of becoming a professional sportsman, as his asthma would be a permanent barrier to success. Josh proved him wrong, eventually playing cricket professionally for Wellington from 2008 to 2014. Now a Club Manager for Les Mills, Josh attributes his success to learning how to manage his asthma well, and then building up his own fitness, which improved his overall lung health.
Josh says of his experiences: “I didn’t give up on that dream and I want other Kiwi kids who have asthma and dreams of playing sport to know that it is possible. I was that kid who woke his parents in the middle of the night because I couldn’t breathe, but I went on to play for the Wellington Firebirds. With determination, it can happen.”
Josh wants to encourage people living with asthma to keep striving for their goals and to embrace the benefits of exercise. He is also aiming to raise $50,000 for the Foundation as he builds up to and completes the Taupō Ironman race in March 2024.
Hutt student Liam Dulver was the winner of the Child Asthma category at the Foundation’s Respiratory Achievers’ Awards.
Liam Dulver (11) has been very ill with asthma, leading to lots of time off school and on hospital wards. Despite this, Liam never lets his asthma define him and he throws himself in to everything he does. The extensive list of clubs and sports teams Liam has been involved in includes touch rugby, cricket, hockey, basketball, swimming and enviro club.
The fact Liam is able to live such an active life and participate in so many sports is a testament to his attitude and how well Liam manages and controls his asthma: “I try not to let asthma stop me from doing anything. If I start to feel asthma symptoms when I run, I just take my reliever,” Liam explains.
Liam’s Dad, Karl, can vouch for Liam’s discipline with his asthma: “He took responsibility for his asthma from quite an early age. He’s quick to use his reliever when needed and religious with using his preventer”.
Liam knows the importance of exercising if you have asthma and wanted to let other people know. For World Asthma Day in 2020, when Liam was just 9, he participated in a public interview encouraging other kids with asthma to do sport and exercise.
Karl, has always been supportive of Liam’s sporting endeavours: “Sport has been helpful for Liam and his asthma. I’ve always been encouraging whenever Liam said he wanted to try something,” Karl says. “We know that the advice for kids with asthma is to do sport and exercise, use your lungs and strengthen the muscles which help you breathe normally."
Aside from sport, Liam has also been com mended on his leadership skills. “I’m really proud of my leadership award, which I was given in my year six awards ceremony. I was given it for helping to set up the school breakfast club and coming second in the year six speech contest,” Liam explains. Karl also mentions that “Liam does a good job of looking out for his friends and anyone else in his school who has asthma”.
Taumata o Te Rā Nga Hau e Wha o Te Motu Lowe, was a winner of the Adult Asthma Category at the 2023 New Zealand Respiratory Achievers’ Awards .
21-year-old Taumata (Ngati Raukawa, Ngai Tuhoe, and Ngapuhi) has lived with severe asthma since childhood but has not let this be a barrier to achieving his goals.
Taumata has a serious form of asthma, known as brittle asthma, and suffered a nearfatal attack as a 7-year-old.
He recalls beginning to feel breathless while in a school assembly and then later waking to find himself being resuscitated in an ambulance. This experience was filmed for a reality TV programme, and looking back, Taumata was happy it was televised: “It showed people just how serious asthma can get”.
Taumata’s asthma was worse when he was a child, his symptoms came and went during his teen years and have improved markedly with adulthood. “As I’ve got older and fitter, my asthma has got better. I also don’t panic when I feel breathless or wheezy. When you’re a kid it’s easy to feel like you’re going to die when you feel asthma symptoms coming on; it’s harder to stay calm”.
Taumata tries not to let asthma slow him down: “My asthma can still play up and I often feel wheezy in spring. I try to do as much as
I can but I’m also realistic about what I can achieve on a given day.
"I don’t like making a big deal about my asthma, but I’ve found that letting my friends and family know about it and being able to tell them when I need an extra minute to catch my breath, is really helpful.”
An often-overlooked aspect of living with asthma is the toll it can take on your mental health. “After my big asthma attack when I was young, I couldn’t participate in games and sport without worrying about my asthma. I now knew that I was at risk of a big asthma attack and didn’t want to go through that again,” Taumata explains.
The COVID-19 pandemic was concerning for everyone, but people with respiratory illnesses were particularly at risk. The announcement of the children’s vaccine was good news for Liam and his family, Karl explains: “It was great when they announced the children’s enrol
Of course, living with asthma can be difficult and often worrying, but Taumata attributes his determined attitude to the condition, “My big asthma attack when I was young gave me an early lesson in the importance of making the most of your life. I’m motivated to be busy, successful and keep moving forward”.
Did you know that asthma affects one in eight people in New Zealand?
Symptoms can include breathlessness, wheeze, cough, and the feeling of a tight chest. A simple review by your health team will confirm the diagnosis. Your doctor or nurse practitioner may prescribe inhalers (“puffers”) to help open up your airways so breathing is easier. Using these is an important part of your daily management, but what other things can you do to help with your asthma symptoms?
Physiotherapists help people with asthma manage their symptoms through a range of techniques including:
People with asthma are more prone to developing an altered breathing pattern –mouth breathing, an upper chest pattern (rather than a lower chest or diaphragmatic pattern) and an altered ratio of breathing in and out. This unhelpful pattern can amplify your asthma symptoms. A physiotherapist can help you correct your breathing pattern.
There are a range of strategies which can be
used to help manage breathlessness including rest positions to optimise breathing mechanics and breathing techniques which can be effective to reduce the sensation of breathlessness.
People with asthma may need advice regarding how to exercise if exercise can trigger their symptoms. Additionally, a poor breathing pattern can lead to tension in upper chest muscles and affect your posture. A physiotherapist can prescribe exercises to improve posture and reduce muscle tension, as well as work with you to become more fit and active.
Some people with asthma experience increased cough and issues with phlegm/ secretions when they have an asthma flareup. A physiotherapist can teach you techniques to clear your airways more effectively and reduce the work of breathing.
Relaxation is important for everyone! Your asthma may make you tense and anxious and this can affect your breathing, posture,
and activity levels. Learning strategies to ‘relax’ can benefit both your breathing and your wellbeing.
There are different inhaler devices available. Physiotherapists can ensure you use the device correctly and provide aids, if required, so that you can take your inhalers as prescribed.
As asthma is a condition that requires long term management, self-management strategies are essential to help you look after your asthma and lung health. This includes ensuring you have a good understanding of your condition and what to do if you become unwell (action plan). A physiotherapist can provide you with guidance around these things.
This is the ‘gold standard’ of exercise and education for people with lung conditions such as asthma. Programmes are available in person or online and are run by physiotherapists and nurses who work with you to optimise your lung health, general fitness, and wellbeing.
Physiotherapists in New Zealand work with people with asthma in a variety of different settings including hospitals, private physiotherapy clinics, and pulmonary rehabilitation classes. They often work with other health professionals to ensure you achieve the best of your lung health, general health, and wellbeing.
Zoe Manderson is a respiratory physiotherapist in Taranaki for Te Whatu Ora and a member of the Asthma and Respiratory
Oxygen therapy is given to people who have persistently low levels of oxygen in their blood. It can be useful for some people with lung conditions, like COPD or bronchiectasis, when their airways have been permanently damaged and can no longer deliver enough oxygen to the body. Low oxygen levels can make you feel breathless, tired, and confused, and cause fluid to build up around your ankles, feet, and legs. Another sign is blue colouration of the lips, skin, and fingernails. If untreated, low oxygen levels can lead to damage of vital organs such as the heart or brain.
Oxygen therapy may be given as a short-term emergency treatment to someone who is experiencing a COPD flare-up or recovering from an illness. People with severe respiratory conditions, who have ongoing low levels of oxygen in their blood (also called hypoxemia), may be prescribed long-term oxygen therapy. This therapy could be prescribed for specific times, for example while you exercise, sleep or travel outside the home, or it may be prescribed for continuous, long-term use.
What are the benefits of oxygen therapy?
The aim of oxygen therapy is to bring your oxygen levels back to a normal concentration for most of the time. \Oxygen therapy reduces the strain on your heart and other organs that is caused by persistently low oxygen levels. It can also increase your energy levels, improve your quality of sleep, and reduce the risk of being admitted to hospital. It is important to note that oxygen therapy is not used to treat breathlessness.
How is oxygen therapy prescribed?
If your healthcare practitioner feels that you will benefit from long-term oxygen therapy, you will be referred to a respiratory specialist. You will be asked to undertake lung function
tests and a special blood test called an arterial blood gas test (ABG) to measure the level of oxygen in your blood, before oxygen is prescribed. You may also need a chest X-ray or an ECG test.
You may be prescribed oxygen therapy for a few weeks or months, or possibly the rest of your life. Oxygen therapy can only be prescribed to non-smokers, as having oxygen in the house is a fire risk. No one should smoke or vape near oxygen, or use oxygen near any type of naked flame (gas stoves, lighted fireplaces or candles).
What happens in oxygen therapy?
Oxygen therapy can be provided either by an electrically-operated machine (called an oxygen concentrator) that filters oxygen from the air in your home, or by a cylinder containing oxygen. Your specialist will discuss which is the better option for your situation. Oxygen equipment is generally portable, so you can easily move around while using it.
The oxygen is breathed in through small, soft plastic tubes that fit just inside your nostrils (called nasal ‘cannulae’), or through a mask, that covers the mouth and nose. Nasal cannulae are most often used for home use, as they do not interfere with talking or eating. Some people experience discomfort from the nasal cannulae, but this can be treated by using a water-based lubricant from your local pharmacy (oil-based lubricants like Vaseline will interfere with your oxygen equipment and should not be used).
Oxygen therapy only works while you are attached to the source of oxygen. When you take off your oxygen mask or remove the cannulae, your blood-oxygen level will drop in a few minutes. It is very important to use the oxygen for the amount of time that your specialist has advised. This could be
for at least 16 hours a day. Many people use oxygen through the late afternoon and night, leaving the day free for activities.
Like any other prescription medicine, oxygen must be used carefully. You need to follow instructions and follow all the safety precautions. The amount of oxygen prescribed will be carefully calculated based on your oxygen blood levels. You must not change this. If you experience symptoms of disorientation, increased tiredness or morning headaches, be sure to inform your healthcare practitioner. These symptoms could indicate that your oxygen level needs to be adjusted.
When you first receive your oxygen equipment, you will be given a demonstration on how to use it. Learning how to use and care for the oxygen equipment may seem complicated. If you're not clear on something, keep asking questions until you feel confident. It can be useful to have a family member or caregiver learn about your equipment as well.
What should I do after starting on oxygen treatment?
It is important to keep in touch with your doctor or healthcare practitioner. Make contact if your symptoms change and ensure that your oxygen prescription is checked at least once a year. You will also need to get in touch if you have plans to travel. It is a good idea to keep contact numbers for your doctor and oxygen supplier in an easily accessible place in case of any problems.
Remember to let your electricity supplier and your home and car insurer know that you have been prescribed oxygen treatment.
Showerdome’s shower top product was invented by Ken Evans, a Tauranga-based engineer, looking for a solution to dampness and moisture in bathrooms. His innovative solution is now sold worldwide and Showerdome® remains on a mission to improve the health of Kiwi homes.
Marketing Manager Claire van Horn says the team strongly believes that every New Zealander has the right to a warm, dry home. “The benefits of a healthy home are immediate, and in a lot of cases, life changing, particularly for those with respiratory conditions. We appreciate that there is no one ‘magic silver bullet’ that will solve the issue of damp Kiwi homes, but we are proud to be able to play our part and make a difference in many homes across the motu,” she says.
Claire says the company’s ethos makes it a natural fit to partner with the Foundation. In her case, the connection is also personal: “As a mum of two young girls who have both suffered with chronic croup and respiratory illnesses throughout their childhood, there is nothing I wouldn’t do to improve their quality of life. A warm, dry home undoubtedly has a positive impact on their health. It’s one of the reasons I am passionate about what I do.”
Eliminating moisture laden air from your bathroom is one of the key benefits of installing a Showerdome®. All that steam rolling around in your bathroom, settling on your walls and along the grout is creating a breeding ground for unhealthy mould, mildew and fungus. Unless you deep clean and scrub every surface daily, then you already have a problem. With Showerdome®, you don’t have these steam issues anymore. No more mould, mildew or fungus means a much healthier bathroom, and less requirement to use harsh chemicals for cleaning, which is ecologically better and also substantially reducing the cleaning time in your bathroom.
Asthma NZ - Auckland
Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm 09 623 0236
0800 227 328 anz@asthma.org.nz
581 Mt Eden Road, Auckland www.asthma.org.nz
Asthma Waikato
Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm 07 838 0851 info@asthmawaikato.org.nz
18 Claudelands Road, Hamilton East, Hamilton www.asthmawaikato.org.nz
Asthma and Respiratory Management BOP Inc
Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm 07 577 6738
0800 ARM BOP or 0800 276 267 reception@asthmabop.org.nz
254 Chadwick Rd, Gate Pa, Tauranga 3112 www.asthmabop.org.nz
Asthma NZ - Rotorua
Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm 07 347 1012 rotorua@asthma.org.nz
1290 Eruera Street, Rotorua 3010 www.asthma.org.nz
Gisborne and East Coast Asthma Society (Inc) 06 868 9970 lynlolohea@hotmail.com
14 Kennedy Street, Gisborne 4010
Breathe Hawke’s Bay
Monday-Friday, 8.30am-3pm 06 835 0018 admin@breathehb.co.nz
199 Dickens Street, Napier www.breathehb.co.nz
Tu Kotahi Māori Asthma Trust Lower Hutt
Monday-Friday, 8.30am-5pm 04 939 4629 / 0800 939 462 anne@kokiri-hauora.org.nz
7-9 Barnes St, Seaview, Lower Hutt 5010
Asthma NZ - Wellington
Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm 04 237 4520 wellington@asthma.org.nz
Level 2, 120 Featherston Street, Wellington 6011 www.asthma.org.nz
Nelson Asthma Society
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 9am-2pm
03 544 1562 asthma.nelson@xtra.co.nz
9 Cambridge Street, Richmond, Nelson 7020 nelsonasthma.co.nz
CanBreathe Canterbury
Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm 03 386 0278 office@canbreathe.org.nz
196 Hills Road, Edgeware, Christchurch 8013 www.canbreathe.org.nz
Otago Asthma Society
Monday-Friday, 9am-12pm 03 471 6167, 027 471 6160 otagoasthma@xtra.co.nz
Dunedin Community House, 1st Floor, Cnr Moray and Great King Street, Dunedin 9016
Eastern BOP Asthma and COPD support group 07 307 1447 or 0800 227 363 copd@drct.co.nz
C/O Karen Couchman, Disabilities Resource Centre Trust, 141 King Street, Whakatane 3120
Manawatu Breathe Easy 06 3587491
owenped@xtra.co.nz
Horowhenua Breathe Easy Support Group 06 368 8069
Marlborough COPD Support and Exercise Group
Contact Gillian McCloy 027 454 5102
Porirua SYLO Choir
Thursdays 11.30 - 12.30pm 027 405 6458 Supper Room, Mungavin Hall, Mungavin Avenue, Ranui, Porirua
Wellington SYLO Choir
Tuesdays 10.30am 027 817 1136
All Saints Church, 90 Hamiltons Road, Haitaitai
Is your support group missing?
Let us know: info@arfnz.org.nz
EarlyBird
www.nzrc2023.co.nz
