an insight into my life with severe asthma, advocacy, awareness & research
As I write this on the plane home from Madeira I am feeling a huge mix of emotions (I wrote this yesterday on the plane). The pride of representing Great Britain at the first ever European Para Laser Run Championships, frustration at my race being interrupted before it even started with smoke hitting my lungs,… Continue reading Competing for Great Britain at the European Para Laser Run Championships
Walking into my first practice I had no idea what to expect. My only experience of wheelchair rugby league before that practice in March was watching the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup during summer 2022- and that was by chance as one of my old lacrosse teammates was a referee at the World Cup. That… Continue reading Sport is so much more than just sport. Reflecting on my first season with Edinburgh Giants
Today 10th October 2022 is World Mental Health Day. I was asked to give a brief talk during the event Living Well: Emotional Support Matters hosted by The Health and Social Care Alliance (Scotland). My talk was titled: Benefits of using your own experience to call for change. This blog post is roughly what I… Continue reading Mental Health Benefits From Using My Patient Voice
On Tuesday evening I attended one of my first face to face events since the COVID-19 pandemic started. I cannot begin to explain how good it was to be back at an in person event. A few months ago the rebranding of the Asthma UK and British Lung Foundation Partnership was unveiled. Along with new… Continue reading A New Vision for Lung Health
Chronic illness takes so much away from you. It can leave you unable to hold down a job and therefore no monthly income reliant on benefits but more than that it robs you of your ability to socialise. The catalyst for the post was a photo that came up on my TimeHop memories when I… Continue reading The value of volunteering when chronically ill.
A text saying Nicola Sturgeon is making an announcement regarding shielding at 12:30pm today 8th June filled me with excitement but also dread. As a Scot I have watched those living in England go on a huge rollercoaster and then be put in a blender. I don't think anyone in the shielding category in England… Continue reading Shielding- our path out of lockdown.
I was recently at the first event since the partnership of  Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation. It was fantastic to see BLF colleagues with the Asthma UK logo on their name badges alongside the BLF logo. Also being welcomed with open arms too was lovely. I was a bit daunted to attend this… Continue reading BLF-AUK Respiratory Action Plan Meeting
Today was a big day for many Scottish people living with severe asthma. Many of us live day to day taking medications that do not fully help relieve our asthma symptoms and keep our asthma under control. It can be very frustrating and scary to live day to day not knowing how you will be.… Continue reading SMC approves Benralizumab (Fasenra)
Tuesday evening I had a fantastic time. It was the first meeting for the Critical Care Patient and Public Involvement Group in Edinburgh. Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) in Scotland is no where near as organised as it is in England and funding is woeful, so to establish and run a group is a huge… Continue reading Critical Care does PPI
Since getting things back on track with work etc I have realised I need to make some tough choices and prioritise what I need to do versus what I want to do. In 2015 I had the best summer volunteering and recording statistics at the U19 World Lacrosse Championships. 2 weeks of full on lacrosse… Continue reading Making tough choices
ANONYMOUS-ASTHMA 