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Gillian was born in 1950, when people didn’t know as much about asthma or how to treat it. She was diagnosed at age eight and spent much of her childhood in and out of the hospital, often fighting for her life. The lack of asthma knowledge in the 1950s made her journey even harder.
The sound of ambulance sirens and the flash of red and blue lights became a common and difficult part of her early life, with multiple emergency trips to hospital. During her teenage years, she missed nearly four years of school due to long hospital stays.
Although Gillian lived near the beach, simple joys like swimming with the other kids were not allowed, for fear of triggering an asthma attack. One of the common myths of that era.
Her parents used to say “She shouldn’t swim. She’ll get a cold. She might get sick, she might get asthma.” Research in modern times shows that including regular physical activity into your routine can improve your overall fitness and quality of life. However knowledge of asthma was limited in the 1950s.
In 1961, when Gillian was 11, her asthma took a big turn for the better. She received corticosteroids, a new treatment which finally gave her some relief.
“I remember being amazed that I could run for the first time in years. It was just wonderful to feel that well.”
Even with access to new asthma medicines and management, Gillian’s teenage years remained challenging.
When Gillian was 22, she planned to go to Manly Beach. As it was raining, and she felt a little wheezy she decided to visit a friend instead. Feeling a little out of breath, combined with an allergy to her friend’s cat, triggered a serious asthma attack.
Fearing for her life, the hospital put Gillian on an artificial lung. She was in critical condition and the machine did the breathing for her over the next 3 days.
“Not being able to breathe is one of the scariest things and it made me feel so desperate. All I could focus on was my next breath, but it wasn’t helping.”
This was a reminder of the ever-present danger she faced from her asthma. This near tragic event served as a wake-up call and Gillian began to take her asthma more seriously. She began working closely with specialists who gave her new medicine and exercise suggestions. Taking up swimming, previously considered unsuitable for people with asthma, she found that it strengthened her lungs and improved her health.
Gillian’s story highlights the progress made in asthma research. Each advancement has paved the way for new medicines, better asthma practices and improved quality of life for people like Gillian.
FOR THE FIRST TIME A CURE FOR ASTHMA IS WITHIN REACH.
Asthma Australia has always been here to help people with asthma breathe better and live freely. With your support we offer trusted health information and guidance. When people get the right help at the right time, they can live well with asthma.
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Please donate to Asthma Australia. Your donations ensure that more people like Gillian can access critical support from Asthma Educators, helping them manage their asthma, avoid future attacks, and feel empowered throughout their asthma journey.
