Asthma UK Magazine 2017

Winter 2017

Scarfie face!

Wrap. Snap. Share and join our #Scarfie campaign

Winter health

Could vitamin D help prevent asthma attacks?

Cold weather asthma Our in-house GP’s tips to stay well this winter

Welcome

to your all-new Asthma Magazine!

Your guest editor: Professor Adrian Martineau

Clinical Professor of Respiratory Infection and Immunity, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry

Without you, the work I do simply wouldn’t be possible.

My name is Professor Adrian Martineau and, thanks to your support, I’m currently researching new ways of preventing asthma attacks in children - you can find out more about my work on page 6.

I wanted to thank you personally for your support. Through your generosity you are enabling researchers like me to search for new ways to prevent and treat asthma – leading to the discoveries that I believe will one day put a stop to asthma attacks and find a cure.

Without you, the work I do wouldn’t be happening – your support is helping fund incredible science, dedicated to transforming the lives of the huge number of people who struggle with their asthma in the UK and around the world.

I hope you enjoy reading about my work and some of the other things your wonderful contribution is making happen. Your generosity isn’t just helping support work like mine, it’s also helping people manage their asthma better today. You’re saving and improving people’s lives right now, while they wait for research like mine to be completed.

So, thank you again, not only for helping me make the discoveries I believe will help prevent asthma attacks in children, but from everyone who benefits from Asthma UK’s help, advice and research today.

Enjoy reading!

Adrian Martineau 2

Online www.asthma.org.uk Facebook Asthma UK Twitter @asthmauk

HERE FOR YOU Our lifesaving advice and research is only possible thanks to wonderful supporters like you.

Please get in touch and let us know if you would like to discuss our work, update your contact details, or make a donation. We’re always happy to hear from you:

Highlights

inside this issue 4-5 News in brief

Our #Scarfie campaign; NICE drug approval

6-7 The sunshine vitamin

A new way to prevent asthma attacks in children?

8 Cold weather tips

From Asthma UK’s in-house GP Dr Andrew Whittamore

9 Steve’s sponsored slim

Losing 4 stone - while raising over £1000 for Asthma UK!

10 Survey results

Over 4,600 people helped us understand the quality of asthma care in the UK

Find out more: Visit www.asthma.org.uk Call 0300 222 5800 Email info@asthma.org.uk Write to us: Asthma UK, 18 Mansell Street, London E1 8AA Like us on Facebook: Asthma UK Follow us on Twitter: @asthmauk

11 Ask an asthma nurse

Answering questions about peak flow

12-13 Q&A

Dr Dickinson talks about how he’s helping increase the amount of exercise people with asthma can do

14-15 Fundraising events

tell us your story share your tips

Why Vicky’s running the London Marathon; Cycle superstar Harvey and our recent half marathon memories

Asthma UK is a company limited by guarantee registered in England No. 2422401 Registered charity in England No. 802364 and in Scotland No. SC039322

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News

in brief

Wrap. Snap.

Share…

This winter, you can help stop asthma attacks simply by sharing a #Scarfie (a selfie with a scarf).

Every 10 seconds, someone has a potentially life-threatening asthma attack in the UK, and as many as three quarters of people with asthma tell us that cold air triggers their symptoms.

Wrapping a scarf loosely around your nose and mouth warms up the air before you breathe it in - by sharing this simple tip you could save the life of someone with asthma.

However you choose to wrap.snap.share your #Scarfie this winter, remember your support could save a life!

“As someone with asthma myself, I’m delighted to share my #Scarfie for @AsthmaUK. I hope more people get involved, taking a #Scarfie only takes a few seconds and by sharing this simple tip you could save someone’s life.”

Dame Barbara Windsor

New asthma drug approved Last November the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) - the body which approves drugs for use in England - approved a new drug designed to treat some forms of severe asthma.

Mepolizumab is part of a new generation of drugs aimed at some of the 250,000 people in the UK whose asthma doesn’t respond to current treatments. We hope it will cut the number of life-threatening asthma

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attacks and reduce the use of high doses of corticosteroids, which have unpleasant and harmful long-term side effects.

The drug had previously been rejected for use in England, despite its approval by the Scottish NHS earlier in 2016.

However, thanks to your support, Asthma UK was able to present new evidence to NICE, urging them to review their decision – they have now

Online www.asthma.org.uk Facebook Asthma UK Twitter @asthmauk

Top tips for taking the perfect #Scarfie Wrap up warm: A true #Scarfie protects your nose and mouth from the winter chill.

Find the best light: The secret to snapping a clear #Scarfie is to stand next to a window or bright light – or better yet, head outside.

Switch up your smartphone filters: Why not give your #Scarfie a retro feel with a black and white filter or with a golden filter?

Hold the camera above your head: This is the best angle to snap a full length view of your #Scarfie – and it’s flattering too!

Have fun: There’s lots of ways to jazz up your #Scarfie moment, such as gathering all your friends or work colleagues for a group #Scarfie, or wrapping up in the most colourful scarf you can find.

Get creative and share your #Scarfie on our Twitter or Facebook page today! chosen to approve Mepolizumab for use in England.

With your continued support we hope to carry on fighting for people to have access to new asthma treatments, and help fund the development of more new drugs like Mepolizumab in the future.

“We are delighted that Mepolizumab has finally been recommended for use on the NHS. It has the potential to transform the lives of many people with one of the most debilitating forms of asthma” Kay Boycott, Chief Executive of Asthma UK

Find out more about Mepolizumab online at www.asthma.org.uk/drugapproval ASTHMA.ORG.UK: CALL 0300 222 5800 WINTER 2017

5

The sunshine vitamin: a new way to prevent asthma attacks in children?

At this time of year, coughs and colds leave us all feeling under the weather.

For many people a runny nose and chesty cough can be overcome with a few hot drinks and a mountain of tissues. But for people with asthma, the common cold can kill.

Viral upper respiratory infections are a major cause of death in people with asthma - especially during the winter months. Worst of all, they are difficult 6

to prevent or to protect against.

All that could be set to change thanks to a new Asthma UK research project you’re helping to support.

Professor Adrian Martineau is a member of the Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research. His team at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry have run lab experiments that have shown that vitamin D (the ‘sunshine vitamin’) can

VIRAL UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS

jargon buster...

Upper respiratory tract infections (URI or URTI) are illnesses caused by an infection which involves areas of the respiratory tract including the nose, sinuses, larynx (voice box) or pharynx (between the sinuses and windpipe). These infections include tonsillitis, laryngitis and the common cold.

boost the body’s resistance to viral upper respiratory infections like the common cold. This effect could be particularly important in people with asthma, who commonly have vitamin D deficiency (not have enough vitamin D in their bodies).

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%

save lives and help reduce serious asthma attacks.

If this research is successful, a cheap and easy way of reducing the risk caused by coughs and colds to people with asthma might be just around the corner!

of people find that cold air can trigger an asthma attack.

Professor Martineau and his team are taking their research to the next level by testing vitamin D supplements in children with asthma who also have a vitamin D deficiency. They want to discover the best dose to correct the deficiency, and see how vitamin D can reduce their risk of infection and serious asthma attacks.

With your support Professor Martineau and his team hope to

90

%

of people with asthma have told us cold and flu viruses make their symptoms worse.

You can help support incredible research

like Professor Martineau’s by making a donation using the donation form that came with this magazine!

ASTHMA.ORG.UK: CALL 0300 222 5800 WINTER 2017

7

Asthma in a cold climate Asthma UK’s in-house GP Dr Andrew Whittamore explains what you can do to stay well with your asthma this winter.

This time of year can be a challenge for people with asthma – lots of my patients say that cold air or sudden changes in temperature trigger their symptoms. And cold and flu viruses hit people with asthma harder than the average person too, making it more likely that they’ll have an asthma attack.

That’s because having a virus makes your airways more sensitive and likely to react to your other triggers. Mucus from a runny nose can run down the back of your throat and set off your symptoms too. But there are a few things you can do to stay as well as possible.

If your trigger is… cold air

People with asthma have sensitive airways, which can go into spasm if the air they breathe in is too cold – so anything you can do to warm that air up first could help.

It might be as simple as breathing through your nose, rather than your mouth – or wrapping a scarf around your nose and mouth before you go out (see our #Scarfie tips on page 5).

Keep an eye on the weather forecast and avoid the worst of the weather.

If your trigger is… colds and flu

It’s pretty difficult to avoid cold and flu viruses at this time of year.

One of the easiest things you can do is wash your hands regularly, so you’re not picking up the virus from surfaces you touch.

It’s not too late to get a flu vaccination either – speak to your GP about whether they recommend one, especially if you have severe asthma or other health conditions, or are overweight.

MORE QUESTIONS? The expert nurses on the Asthma UK Helpline

can answer questions about symptoms, medicines and triggers.

Call 0300 222 5800 between 9 and 5 Monday to Friday or ask for a callback at www.asthma.org.uk/helpline 8

Online www.asthma.org.uk Facebook Asthma UK Twitter @asthmauk

Whatever your trigger – look after your asthma

It’s impossible to avoid every asthma trigger, so the best thing you can do is make sure your asthma is well-controlled: taking your preventer inhaler as prescribed – even if you feel well.

You might not feel it working, but it’s calming the inflammation in your airways and making them less likely to react. keeping a reliever inhaler with you so that if you do get caught out by asthma symptoms, you can bring them under control. making sure your asthma action plan is up to date and giving a copy to everyone who might need one, so they can help if you start gasping for air. making an appointment with your GP or asthma nurse if you’re having to use your reliever inhaler more than twice a week, or your symptoms are waking you up at night. There are lots of ways we can help! And get your inhaler technique checked while you’re there - a small adjustment could make a huge difference.

Stephen’s sponsored

slim

If you’re looking for the inspiration to make a few changes this January, look no further than Stephen Owen!

Stephen says, “When the doctor advised me to lose weight I needed a motivation. What better way than raising money for charity through a sponsored slim?

“I have had asthma since I was 7 and my father died at the young age of 33 from an asthma attack, so I wanted to raise money to fund asthma research.”

Within 12 weeks Stephen had lost more than 26kg (around four stone) and has raised a fantastic £1000 for Asthma UK! We’d like to pass on a huge thank you to Stephen for all his hard work.

Find our advice on losing weight safely when you have asthma at

www.asthma.org.uk/weight-loss ASTHMA.ORG.UK: CALL 0300 222 5800 WINTER 2017

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Are you getting

the care you deserve?

Last summer, we asked for your help to understand the quality of asthma care in the UK. Over 4,600 of you told us if you were getting the care you deserve. Here’s what you had to say…

“Asthma has a real impact on my education, social life and career” Over a quarter of the people who responded who were in education or work said they had missed more than a week due to their asthma in the last year. And more than three in ten said their asthma had an effect on what they were able to do in their free time – such as seeing friends or family, or exercising.

If you’re struggling to do the things you used to enjoy, or want to know your rights when it comes to things like getting time off work for medical appointments, you’ll find loads of advice at www.asthma.org.uk.

YOU CAN: call our Helpline on 0300 222 5800 (Mon - Fri 9am to 5pm).

WE WILL: keep investigating new ways that technology can help you take control of your asthma.

“I have an asthma action plan” Research shows that people who have a written asthma action plan are four times less likely to have to go to hospital because of their asthma.

So we’re very pleased to see that more people than ever now have one – more than four in ten of you. Of course, there’s still more to do to reach the other six!

YOU CAN: download a free action plan from www.asthma.org.uk/actionplan - remember to share copies with loved ones.

WE WILL: work to get an electronic version added to GPs’ computer systems, so it’s easier to keep your action plan up to date.

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Online www.asthma.org.uk Facebook Asthma UK Twitter @asthmauk

Ask an asthma nurse This year, more callers than ever have asked us about peak flow. Here, expert asthma nurse, Suzanne Bailey, explains what a peak flow test is and why it’s so useful...

“Only 1 in 3 people get basic levels of care from their GP” Each year, everyone with asthma should have a written asthma action plan, a check of their inhaler technique, and an asthma review.

The latest guidelines for GPs say that these three things make up ‘basic care’ for people with asthma.

The good news is that more of you are getting all three of these in 2016 than the previous year – so you have a better chance of staying well with your asthma.

Unfortunately, even after that increase, only one in three people with asthma receive basic care – and the number is even lower in some parts of the UK. YOU CAN: check out our advice on working in partnership with your GP or asthma nurse at www.asthma.org.uk/advice/nhs-care

“A peak flow test measures how fast you breathe out, so you can see how well your lungs are working. It’s really useful for: identifying any triggers or allergies that could be causing your symptoms monitoring how well your medicines are working seeing when your asthma’s getting worse and when to get help knowing how quickly you’re recovering from an asthma attack.

“To get the most from your peak flow, make sure you use it alongside an asthma action plan and a symptom diary so you can get a full picture of your asthma.”

Suzanne Bailey, expert Asthma UK nurse

WE WILL: keep reminding GPs what they need to do to give you the best chance of staying well.

Want to read more?

Download the full report from www.asthma.org.uk/caresurvey

For more advice on using peak flow, visit: www.asthma.org.uk/peakflow ASTHMA.ORG.UK: CALL 0300 222 5800 WINTER 2017

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Q&A

with Dr John Dickinson “Asthma should not be a limitation to the level of exercise that you do.”

Dr. John Dickinson has been leading the respiratory testing of Britain’s elite athletes since 2003 and has recently been awarded an Asthma UK Innovation Grant. Here he explains how he wants to help people with asthma increase the amount of exercise they can do…

What attracted you to the field of asthma and exercise?

My wife had asthma when I met her back at university and she was always complaining about getting out of breath when she exercised. I worked with her and anecdotally the fitter she was the better her asthma control became.

Can you tell me about your research project, and how it will hopefully help people with asthma?

This particular project is looking at how we can help people with asthma to increase the amount of exercise they can do outside in winter and autumn.

What we know is cold dry air is a big trigger for asthma. Often the advice to treat asthma is to avoid your triggers – this might mean lots of people with asthma will be put off exercising in cold and dry air.

We want to see if we can do something that allows people with asthma to continue to exercise outside without any increase in symptoms. Hence investigating if we can use a face mask that can warm and humidify air before we breathe it in.

What does the project involve?

The face mask will work as a ‘heat moisture exchanger’– the mask comes across your mouth so that you breathe into it and it captures the moisture 12

and maintains the heat of the air. So when you breathe back in, that heat and moisture gets caught back in the breath coming in. It basically recycles the moisture you breathe out.

Is there evidence that exercise is a trigger for asthma and how prevalent is it?

The exact prevalence of exercise induced asthma in people with asthma is not known, but exercise is one the most common triggers of asthma. Exercise is usually where the symptoms first present themselves and when you start treatment, exercise is where symptoms remain the largest.

Exercise is a great tool to judge the control of someone’s asthma, which is why the findings of the research project are so important.

discourage them.

I have been able to quantify how bad their asthma is, get them on the right inhalers and talk to them about how they can use breathing control exercise to help them overcome symptoms. They have then kicked on and won gold medals at Olympic games!

Do you have a message for supporters who help fund your research?

We’re forever grateful for the generosity of all the supporters who provide the funding and all the people that do crazy challenges!

Ultimately their support informs treatment and will allow people with asthma to improve their lifestyle and symptoms.

What would be your dream outcome?

My ideal outcome is for the face mask to demonstrate either reducing the presence of asthma or how bad the symptoms are – this will be done by measuring the lung function before and after the exercise.

What inspires you most about your work?

I have worked with young athletes who have been really struggling with their breathing and possibly some of the medical advice has initially been to

You can help support incredible research

like Dr Dickinson’s by making a donation using the donation form that came with this magazine!

ASTHMA.ORG.UK: CALL 0300 222 5800 WINTER 2017

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Take part in an

event!

Harvey’s a cycle superstar Team Asthma UK’s cyclists aren’t just great athletes and fundraisers – they inspire other people to get on their bikes too.

Harvey, 11, has had asthma his whole life. So when he saw cyclists in Asthma UK tops at the 100-mile RideLondon event last year, he knew he wanted to join in.

He set himself the challenge of cycling 30 laps of the Torbay Velopark (an impressive 45km or nearly 19 miles). So far he has raised an incredible £365 for Asthma UK. Harvey says, “It was freezing cold, but a few people kindly joined me for a few laps.

Thank you for all your support!”

Running for my sister, my son, and myself

When Vicky Rowe was just 8 years old, her sister Becky died suddenly from an asthma attack, aged only 15 – and weeks later, Vicky was diagnosed with asthma too.

Vicky says, “Accepting I had the condition was scary. I pretended I didn’t have it for 15 years, until I had my son Oscar, who had asthma symptoms from a very young age. We had some horrible experiences when his asthma wasn’t under control and in desperation I called the Asthma UK Helpline. Suddenly a world of support opened up.”

Two years later, Vicky has signed up to run the 2017 London Marathon for Asthma UK, in memory of Becky and to support the Helpline that made such a difference to her and Oscar.

Looking for a challenge of your own in 2017? Find out more at www.asthma.org.uk/events

Two big events – one amazing team

Last autumn we cheered on some amazing Team Asthma UK runners at two big events; the Great North Run and Royal Parks Half Marathon.

We wanted to pass on a huge thank you to everyone who ran, and to all their supporters and sponsors.

Your stories are always so inspiring, and every pound you raise brings us closer to curing asthma.

Great North Run: Newcastle 57,000 runners took on the world’s largest half-marathon with the stunning Red Arrows display team overhead.

There were 79 runners for Asthma UK who raised an amazing £42,500!

Royal Parks Half Marathon: London 16,000 participants ran through four royal parks, past Buckingham Palace and the Royal Albert Hall.

There were 30 runners for Asthma UK who raised almost £20,000!

Looking to take part in an event for Asthma UK? Call: 0300 222 5800 email: events@asthma.org.uk visit www.asthma.org.uk/events ASTHMA.ORG.UK: CALL 0300 222 5800 WINTER 2017 15

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