Janet Delooze (back) and Renee Goldbert provided free asthma education for Rotorua people. Photo / Stephen Parker
Rotorua was given the chance to get free asthma education yesterday as part of World Asthma Day.
In New Zealand one in six adults and one in four children are affected by asthma and at least one person dies from it every week.
This year's World Asthma Day theme was, "you can control your asthma".
Asthma Rotorua hosted an open day yesterday where visitors were given free anti-static spacers and AsthmaMinders if appropriate.
It also had two asthma nurse educators giving out free advice.
Renee Goldbert and Janet Delooze were both excited about educating Rotorua.
"We are giving people of all ages action plans on how to deal if it worsens.
"People can come to us if they are referred or they can just make an appointment on a normal day. We start with a free one hour session then a free half hour a month later and another free half hour six months later. We also do home visits," Mrs Goldbert said.
"I have had a couple of home visits with parents who are mortified because they just don't know it was coming. We need to get the education out there for the parents of Rotorua so they can really read the signs about when to seek medical advice," Mrs Goldbert said.
An AsthmaMinder is a holder for your toothbrush and your preventer inhaler. It reminds people to take their preventer inhaler morning and night. They can't pick up their toothbrush without first removing the preventer inhaler.
For more information go to www.asthma.org.nz.
A disregard for authority could be why those attending court are thumbing their noses.