1800 278 462
For Sundram, living with asthma has meant learning to adapt, plan ahead and think differently about everyday life. It’s also inspired him to use his lived experience to help others by joining Asthma Australia’s Consumer Advisory Council and the CURE Asthma Steering Committee.
After experiencing worsening hay fever which eventually affected his breathing, Sundram was diagnosed with asthma in his thirties.
Asthma has influenced many aspects of Sundram’s life, from the activities he enjoys to the way he prepares for each day. Sundram brings his inhaler and also a mask with him, so he’s prepared in case his asthma flares up.
A hope for the future – curing asthma
Like many people living with asthma, Sundram hopes that one day future generations won’t have to experience the challenges the condition can bring.
“I hope for people with asthma, one day, there will be a cure for all of us…I think that would be my big hope for every asthma sufferer. That one day, we don’t have to think about it, because we found a cure for it,” Sundram said.
Could curing asthma benefit the economy?
Asthma costs Australia $1.28 billion every year in direct health system costs. It accounts for 22% of all respiratory health expenditure and kills at least one person every day in Australia. Curing asthma would save lives, and also strengthen the economy.
“Hopefully, if we have found a cure, we can see a lot of savings take place as well, so the time and resources spent for asthma can be diverted. To be researched in other areas,” Sundram noted.
A message to researchers
As a researcher and member of the CURE Asthma Steering Committee, Sundram wants his peers to know that their work is making a real difference to people living with asthma.
“Please, please continue the research and work that you’re doing. While this research is going on, it is bringing hope to so many sufferers, so that one day, what we call asthma will be behind us – it will be history. We’ll be reading in the history books about asthma.
“It’s great to see a lot of scientists coming together. Please contribute, whatever scientific areas you’re in, and if you’ve been invited, please, take on your role because you will be one of the people that many sufferers will remember in time to come, the curing that you have done for the many sufferers.”
