Letitia's Message

I hope that everyone is wrapping up, and is warm and toasty for winter, because we know for many of our whānau this isn’t the case. We still have many homes in New Zealand that do not meet the healthy homes standards, so this is a reminder that from 1 July 2025 all rental properties must comply.

The healthy homes standards, which became law on 1 July 2019, introduced minimum standards for heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture ingress and drainage, and draught stopping in rental properties because we know that by improving a home’s condition, it prevents respiratory hospitalisations.

It is hard to believe that we are now halfway through the year! This year we tried something new for World Asthma Day by introducing the first ‘Blue Shirt Day’. This was a great success for the Foundation, with many teams and individuals getting involved and purchasing a limited edition blue shirt. The Foundation raised $11,819.88 which went towards our vital work. A big thanks to Gildan and C-Force for supplying the t-shirts and to Wools of NZ, our Gold Friends of the Foundation partner, for supporting the printing of these. You can see some of the highlights on page 12.

Speaking of Friends of the Foundation, I'd like to give a shout out to all of our wonderful partners. Not only do they support all the mahi we do, but they also align with our values and goals to reduce respiratory disease in New Zealand. As you know, we receive no government funding, so their support is invaluable. If you are an organisation that wishes to be a Friends of the Foundation partner, then please contact Annie Mallett at friends@arfnz.org.nz.

Now for some exciting news at head office, we are introducing the Foundation's sister charity, The Heart of Aotearoa – Kia Manawanui Trust (KMT). The Trust aims to address several major issues facing cardiac care in New Zealand, from long wait times for heart surgeries,

to shortages of cardiologists and surgical teams, and the lack of beds. KMT has a Cardiology Advisory Board led by Dr Sarah Fairley, who is an interventional cardiologist based in Wellington, and is committed to providing leadership and expertise in cardiac health, while also raising public awareness about New Zealand’s heart health services. These advocacy efforts aim to ensure that patient voices are heard, whilst also promoting equitable access to cardiac care, resources and treatments. We believe that by empowering both healthcare professionals and patients, we can significantly improve cardiac health outcomes.

Heart and lung health have a huge overlap across a wide range of diseases, so it made sense to utilise our knowledge and expertise in the respiratory space to make positive changes in the heart arena. You can find out more on page 6, and if you would like to donate, please head to our website at www.kmtrust.org.nz

This winter, we are shaking things up a bit and launching our new ‘Cough It Up’ campaign rather than Breathe Better September. This campaign is a new way to raise money and awareness of respiratory illnesses by hosting a range of auctions on Trade Me. You just might find something you are looking for! Check it out on page 4.

2025 is also the biennial year for our eagerly-awaited New Zealand Respiratory Conference. Early bird tickets are currently on sale – but be quick, as tickets are sure to sell out. We have an amazing lineup of speakers, with around 300 in attendance.

Now finally, a bit of an update on our vaping education mahi. We are pleased to announce Train the Trainers (TTT). This is New Zealand’s first Train the Trainer programme dedicated to youth vaping education, equipping educators, health professionals, and community leaders with the tools to inform and empower rangatahi and young people.

Youth vaping in Aotearoa New Zealand presents an ongoing public health challenge, and this programme is just one of those tools we can use to turn our high rates of youth vaping around. The Asthma and Respiratory Foundation New Zealand has delivered vaping education to over 5000 students in over 60 schools, and now we want to equip local trainers to deliver this programme within their own communities.

The 1.5 day course is designed for anyone engaging with young people and their whānau about vaping harms. While primarily delivered in schools, it is also suited for community settings to ensure widespread awareness. Please find out more information on page 17 and register your interest to take part.

Of course, this message wouldn’t be complete without acknowledging the generous support of our readers, our community funding groups, our donor family, our Friends of the Foundation partners and New Zealanders who share our goal of improving respiratory health in Aotearoa. Thank you for all your support and we look forward to updating you throughout the year on the Foundation's trials and tribulations.

Noho ora mai,

Letitia