Our Christmas ambassador, River, and his twin sister Rose share the same smile, blue eyes and cheeky personality but, whilst she’s been sprinting through life, River didn’t have it so easy.
He faced regular hospitalisations and was always on the sidelines trying to catch his breath, whilst Rose ruled the playground and soccer pitch. River’s asthma impacted his whole life, meaning he missed out on the simple things his sister took for granted.
His mum, Tiffany, will never forget how much River struggled.
"River struggled to breathe if he ran or did any physical activity. His breathing was so bad; every time he had a cold, he’d end up in hospital needing oxygen all the time."
Until River came to Asthma WA in 2022, he was one of 360,000 WA kids who unknowingly have misdiagnosed or mismanaged asthma. For River and his family, it was six years of struggles before Asthma WA gave him a life-changing diagnosis with our Lung Function Testing. He now continues to see us for ongoing education and personalised support.
We’re the only not-for-profit delivering this life changing service in WA.
"Asthma WA changed River’s life. They provided Lung Function Testing, closely monitored him, called us regularly and supported us in every way. His preventer medication was changed and he was taught how to use his inhaler properly.
River hasn’t been in hospital once since then and he can run and play like every other seven year old. He is so excited he can now run fast towards the Christmas Tree!"
This year, we've provided free Lung Function Testing to more than 400 children like River, helping them to breathe easy and giving their parents peace of mind. But our Lung Function Testing program is only partly funded. We need your help to support 360,000 undiagnosed kids in WA.
Help us provide WA's only free Lung Function Testing for kids with asthma and change the lives of kids like River.
This holiday season, with your generous support, we can extend our life-changing free services to help thousands of children like River breathe easier and run faster!
You can easily donate by filling out this online form. Or, if you prefer not to donate online call our team on (08) 9289 3600 or email fundraising@asthmawa.org.au for EFT, phone and postal options.
Why do kids need Lung Function Testing?
600,000 children in Western Australia have asthma, with research showing more than 60% are misdiagnosed or mismanaged.
Lung Function Testing is a series of simple, non-invasive breathing tests which take approximately one hour to complete. The testing is the most comprehensive available, identifying inflammation, lung strength and detecting lung restriction. The results help physicians diagnose and treat respiratory conditions such as asthma.
Diagnosing and treating asthma in children often means weeks off work and school, shuttling between hospital clinics and GP surgeries, and thousand of dollars in medical bills. Asthma WA is a one-stop destination and fully bulk-billed, meaning there are no out-of-pocket expenses for stressed out, financially stretched families.
With your generous support, we can extend our life-changing respiratory services to thousands of children so they can breathe easier and run faster – just like River, who can finally level up to his sister and beat her to the Christmas tree!