Lung Health
Faces of Asthma
Asthma is a chronic lung disease that affects the airways within the lungs making it difficult to breathe. It is estimated to affect up to 20% of New Brunswick children. Over 55,000 people in NB suffer from asthma.
Please read these personal stories of those living with Asthma.
 Ryley Anstis – Fredericton, NB
Ryley was only a baby when we learned that he had asthma. Although he was too young to remember, I will never forget the sight of him being held by a nurse who was administering his inhaler by way of an aero chamber as he screamed in fright, I felt extremely helpless.
As Ryley grew into a toddler, we became more and more aware of what triggered his asthma and did our best to avoid these triggers. Over time, Ryley learned to recognize that the tightness in his chest meant it was time to find relief. By the time Ryley started Kindergarten, he could self medicate with little supervision. We packed his inhalers neatly in a pouch, along with his aero-chamber, and placed them in his book bag in case he should need them. Ryley has rarely needed his inhaler beyond his routine doses.
Ryley is now 10 years old and in grade five. I would describe his asthma as being very well controlled. He has learned what his limits are, what his triggers are, and how to keep asthma attacks at bay by taking his inhaler regularly. Ryley is an extremely active child who skateboards, runs in Cross Country events, roller blades, swims, takes gymnastics, skates, and plays hockey. He knows how important it is that he takes his inhaler prior to these activities and in the case of an unforeseen attack, he knows to always keep his inhaler close by.
One of the most positive experiences that has arose from Ryley having asthma, was his recent summer camping trip to AsthmaTOPIA, held at Camp Medley. I had read about this camp online and thought it would be a great opportunity for Ryley to meet other children who have asthma and to learn more about this chronic condition.
Ryley’s camp experience was certainly an awesome one. He did all the things you would expect a child to do at camp swimming, sports, games, songs, art….and more. He met many other children with asthma and spent time with a nurse each day learning how to best manage his condition. He learned that having asthma doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the activities that you enjoy. He began to talk more freely about having asthma and even got to speak about his condition on the news!!
 Jessica Lawson - Miramichi, NB
I never imagined that I would be planning a memorial fundraiser for my older brother Jordan that’s for sure. Jordan was a young man with a bright future. He had graduated from high school and planned on heading west to be a welder but Jordan’s life plans were cut short by an asthma attack.
Jordan had suffered from asthma his entire life. He was diagnosed at a young age but had medication that he took everyday to control his attacks. As long as I can remember Jordan had four kinds of puffers, a blue one, a red, a purple one and an orange one that helped him breath. He still had quite a few attacks and went to the hospital often but we still didn’t think it was life threatening.
Jordan was a normal young boy. He played basketball, hockey, skateboarded and took Tae Kwon Do lessons. He was just like all the other kids growing up, well almost. We could never have a cat but we did have two turtles and a budgie bird. Jordan had a severe allergy to cats.
My family never imagined that Jordan’s allergy to cats would cut Jordan’s life short at the age of 20. We just didn’t imagine his asthma was really that serious. I thought you had trouble breathing, you took a puffer and everything would be okay. We want people to understand that with the right education and awareness Jordan’s death could have been prevented.
Retelling the story of the fateful night of January 7, 2007 is still difficult. It never really gets any easier but I know that every time I tell my story I could be saving a life.
Jordan had decided to spend the night with his long time girlfriend. This was something he rarely did because she had cats and that was his biggest allergy trigger. The cats would not be in the room Jordan was sleeping in and besides Jordan had his puffers just in case, so he thought he would be okay.
Jordan woke up in the middle of the night to a severe asthma attack. He tried his puffer but it wasn’t working. He then went outside to get some air. When his girlfriend arrived minutes later he told her to call 911 but it was too late.
I remember the phone ringing in the middle of the night and it was Jordan’s girlfriend calling from the hospital telling my mom Jordan had an attack. My mom headed to the hospital not thinking it was as serious as it was. Not long after mom left for the hospital my dad and I were called to the hospital. The doctor explained that they had tried to get his heart working again but could not. The doctor told us we could go and say goodbye. I could not believe this was happening - not from an asthma attack.
We still have lots of memories of Jordan in our house. There are graduation pictures still hanging and his bedroom is exactly as it was with his trophies, pictures, and clothes. We want people to hear our story so that such a tragedy can be avoided. There needs to be more education and everyone, especially asthmatics, needs to be aware of the risks and potential consequences and to always avoid triggers.
 Michelle & Cara Chase – Rusagonis, NB
My name is Michele Chase and my daughter’s name is Cara. We both have asthma. I have had asthma since I was two, and have seen a lot of changes in how the illness is treated.
Cara is an active eight year old girl who was diagnosed at a very young age and has frequently been hospitalized due to the severity of her asthma. In any one year we might have dozens of trips to doctors, after-hours clinics or emergency rooms.
In the beginning, Cara’s asthma was not well controlled. We tried different drug combinations until we found one that worked well. Cara has reduced her medication significantly and overall has lessened her drug intake and her asthma is better controlled. Times have changed from my early recollections of suffering from asthma.
Cara has always been a very active child, enjoying gymnastics, swimming, soccer, choir, etc. and has not let her asthma hinder her in anyway. She is always aware of how she is feeling and when she needs to tell someone that her breathing is bothering her. She has learned how to handle situations involving exercise and when to stop exerting herself and take a break. I feel educating a child about asthma is half the battle.
AsthmaTOPIA, held at Camp Medley by the New Brunswick Lung Association is just the thing for that. I attended Camp Medley and I knew my daughter would enjoy it and benefit from it just as I did. The camp is geared towards helping asthmatic children. Cara was thrilled to go and couldn’t wait for camp to begin. Leaving Cara at a camp for the first time was a really big deal but knowing that she would be in capable hands with a team of people educated about her condition was comforting. After her week at Camp Medley, I was eager for Cara to come home but for her it was all too soon. Now we are waiting for next year when she can go again.
All in all asthmatics can lead a very normal life. We can exercise and do all the activities everyone else is doing: we just have to take preventative measures and plan ahead for any unexpected situations.
Allison Burns – Fredericton, NB
My name is Allison Burns and I work at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital as the Asthma Clinic Coordinator and Educator. I live just outside of Fredericton, New Brunswick with my wonderful husband Jason, and our sons, Eric and Keegan.
In addition to working with people with asthma, I too have been “blessed” with the disease. “Blessed” you say? Let me explain. I was diagnosed with asthma when I was three years old. At that time, I didn’t feel it was a blessing as I was unable to participate in activities with my friends and spent far too much time in a hospital room… but that view changed, as I got older. The more I understood my asthma, the less afraid I was. The more educated I became, the less control it had on my life. It amazes me that by following an action plan and avoiding my triggers, I can now do many of the things I want to do. I can go for a walk with my husband and play basketball or fly kites with my children. Of course, I have to avoid people who are smoking or animals, but, to me, that’s a small price to pay!
The best part of my job is helping patients with asthma realize that the same quality of life is within their reach. Hope is a powerful thing. Asthma has helped me understand what my patients are feeling and, I think, makes what I say carry more emphasis. Definitely, asthma has been a blessing for me!
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