“I didn’t realise Zara’s asthma was holding her back and her normal breaths weren’t the same as other kids. Every winter she would get sick and spend time on multiple medications and time off school and not participating in sport, but we never had a diagnosis of asthma. We didn’t realise how much her asthma was holding her back.

We had received lots of different opinions but no clarity on what and how we should manage her respiratory condition. That all changed when we came to Respiratory Care WA and saw Dr Steve Oo. We now have a clear Asthma Care Plan and regular check in with Dr Oo and Clinical Nurse Kate Hipwell.

Her asthma now doesn’t hold her back – she can play sport, doesn’t cough at night and can live her best life. Our whole family have been empowered from the diagnosis and ongoing education.

Respiratory Care WA changed Zara’s life.” – Zara’s Mum.

Zara didn’t know her asthma was holding her back but struggled with breathing her whole life. After a flare up at eight, she was admitted to emergency where she stayed for ten days. During this hospital visit, doctors at one point said they couldn’t get her breathing under control, and she would soon need to be moved to an intensive unit as they “couldn’t do anything more for her”.

Our Respiratory Physician Dr Steve Oo liaised with doctors and delivered a virtual consultation via video call. Alongside our Clinical Nurse Kate Hipwell, they were able to talk to the hospital doctors and discuss results and next steps. Zara now continues to come to the Children’s Asthma Hub for lung function testing, education and support.

60,000 children in Western Australia have asthma, with research showing more than 60% are misdiagnosed or mismanaged.

Diagnosing and treating asthma in children is hard on both kids and families. It involves multiple appointments with different health professionals, juggling time off school and work, navigating long waiting lists, and shuttling back and forth between hospital clinics and doctor’s surgeries. For many families, it leads to trips to the emergency department and thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses. Often families can’t live their lives, and this has a profound impact on the whole family.

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.

We’re the only not-for-profit delivering this crucial service in WA. Plus, we are a one-stop destination and fully bulk-billed so there are no out-of-pocket expenses, alleviating the stress and expense on families.

This year, we delivered free Lung Function Testing and education to thousands of children like Zara, 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 36,000 undiagnosed kids in WA.

With your support, we can extend our life-changing respiratory services to thousands of children, so their asthma won’t hold them back.

Help provide WA’s only free lung function testing for kids.

Thank you for your support!

You can donate by filling out this form, calling
(08) 9289 3600 or emailing fundraising@asthmawa.org.au