ISSUE 25 SEPTEMBER 04 - Sam Riley Swim Schools · Sporting stars galore A million good wishes Bumper sports issue UPDATE ISSUE 25 SEPTEMBER 04. Spring is a time when people emerge

FOR PEOPLE WITH AN INTEREST IN ASTHMA AND ALLERGY

helping people to breathe better

Be Active for AsthmaSam Riley’s master strokesAsthma symptoms, not always what they seem

Sporting stars galoreA million good wishes

Bumper sports issue

UPDATEISSUE 25 SEPTEMBER 04

Spring is a time when people emerge fromtheir winter hibernation to enjoy the

renewal of the coming season and attend totheir health and wellbeing. This year NationalAsthma Week has been moved to coincidewith the first week of spring (September 1 - 30)as this is a particularly trying time for peoplewith asthma and allergies. The other importantaspect of this move is the launch of a new andexciting activity called Be Active for Asthma.Mark it in your long-term planners because thisinaugural campaign is here to stay.

National Asthma Week will be overtaken by BeActive for Asthma, which is especiallysignificant because it is the first time that all theAsthma Foundations have embarked on anational community awareness and fundraising drive. The month of September will bedevoted to fun activities to encourage not onlyasthma sufferers but the wider population ofAustralia to get active. The message we wantto reinforce is that people with asthma can getfit and build strategies to prevent illness.

This issue of Asthma Update focuses on thecampaign and how best to manage asthmaeffectively in order to lead a normal activelifestyle. Being active is becoming a healthpriority in Australia. In line with the PrimeMinister’s commitment of $116 million towardsfighting childhood obesity and promotingfitness, Asthma Foundations of Australia havealso taken up the baton to advance importantmessages to the community about asthmamanagement and to effect real behaviourchange.

The enticements to join in this national activitycampaign are substantial. Fabulous prizesinclude sporting club memberships and asigned Speedo Olympic FS2 swim suit of amedallist from Athens 2004. The national prizefor the top fundraiser and their partner is lunchwith Sam Riley at award winning Picasso’sRestaurant in Brisbane, two nightsaccommodation at the Carlton Crest HotelBrisbane and a Dyson HEPA DC11 vacuumcleaner.

Sponsorship and corporate partnerships areterribly important when it comes to the successof campaigns like this. We would like to thankour great friends for their generous help inmaking Be Active for Asthma a meaningfulproject and a huge success. Our majorsponsors are Merck Sharp and Dohme,AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKlein, Dyson,M&CSAATCHI and Macquarie Bank. Oursupport sponsors are Fitness First, SkippingGirl, Australia Post and Speedo.

We are especially thankful to the time SamRiley has taken to provide invaluable supportfor this cause. You can read her inspirationalstory in this issue.

Be active and be well.

Michael CassarCEO Asthma Foundations of Australia

A Message from the Editor-in-chief

2 Asthma Foundations of Australia is the leading consumer authority on asthma education,information, research, support and advocacy.

Manufacturers of asthma medications are proud to support Asthma Update, the national magazine for people with asthma, allergy and their carers.

ContentsA message from the editor-in-chief ..........2Your letters .................................................3In the media ..............................................4Be Active for Asthma Campaign...............6A champion is as a champion does.........8Chicken or egg ........................................10Cleaning up a million good wishes ........12High Pitch.................................................14The spice of life........................................15Around Australia ......................................16Education News.......................................18Asthma - over the horizon. AFA’s First

International Asthma Conference.........19

Contact Asthma UpdateSuite 310, 63 Stead StreetSouth Melbourne Victoria 3205Tel: 03 9696 7861 Fax: 03 9696 7397Email: [email protected]

www.asthmaaustralia.org.auPublished by Asthma Foundations of Australia© September 2004 Asthma Foundations of Australia

Editor-in-chiefMichael Cassar, Chief Executive Officer, Asthma Foundations of Australia

Editorial teamEditor - Jeanette Leigh, Communications Project Officer,Asthma Foundations of AustraliaMichelle Menzies, Executive Officer, Asthma Foundations of Northern Territory

Editorial Review PanelMegan Valentine, Consumer Representative, VictoriaAssoc. Prof Jo Douglass, Department of Allergy,Immunology and respiratory Medicine, The Alfred Hospital,Melbourne, VictoriaNigel Cooper, Education Manager, Asthma Foundation of South AustraliaKellie Darley, Marketing and Communications Manager,Asthma Foundations of New South WalesDr. Chris Hogan, General Practitioner, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, VictoriaAssoc. Prof Peter van Asperen, Head, DepartmentRespiratory Medicine, Children’s Hospital, Westmead, NewSouth WalesDr Ral Antic, Respiratory Physician, Director of ThoracicMedicine, Royal Adelaide Hospital, South Australia and Chairof Medical and Scientific Committee, Asthma Foundationsof AustraliaDr Helen Reddel, Ann J Woolcock Research Fellow and Respiratory Physician, Woolcock Institute of MedicalResearch

DISCLAIMERThe Asthma Foundations of Australia do not endorse or recommend any of the productsadvertised. The Asthma Foundations of Australia wish to advise products advertised may notnecessarily improve a person’s asthma. The material in Asthma Update must not be reproducedin any form without permission from the editor. The opinions expressed are not necessarily theviews or policies of the Asthma Foundations of Australia. Whilst all reasonable efforts have beenmade to ensure the accuracy of the content, no responsibility can be taken for error or omission.

I want to share my excitement with you regarding thefact that I am finally symptom free of asthma after a trialof Singulair. I am a 36 year old married mum with threechildren and I have chronic asthma. Control over thelast few years has not been good on Seretide 500/50, two puffs twice a day. I tried Intal Forte but this wasunsuccessful. My main problem was a chroniccough/wheeze, which was producing thick stickymucus. This was hugely variable from day to day.Unfortunately this cough predisposed me to bacterialchest infections, which were becoming a regularoccurrence. In turn the chest infections aggravated theasthma.

After trialling Losec for acid reflux, Bisolvon to try tobreak down the mucus and a six week course ofantibiotics, the cough stubbornly remained. Abronchoscopy was done, only to find inflamed airwaysproducing mucus plugs. Only oral Prednisone seemedto work, but it was only used intermittently. I had almostresigned myself to coping with this cough for the restof my life. It was suggested that I trial Singulair on topof Seretide. I didn’t expect it to work but I have notlooked back since. By day six, I was virtually coughfree and I am now starting to reduce the Seretide. Mypeakflow reading is now at the predicted level.Singulair is expensive but it has changed my life. Mylungs finally feel free and I savour each clear, coughfree breath.

My questions are; why does Singulair work forsome and not others? Does allergicasthma respond better to Singulairand will Singulair for adultseventually go on PBS?

Warm regards, Samantha

Dear Samantha

The treatment of persistent asthma is atwo part process. One is to determineinhaled or consumed triggers and avoidthem. The second is to deal with remainingproblems with the least amount of symptom

controlling drug therapy in order to return lungfunction to its best capacity. I presume that the firststep has been addressed.

It is not clear why only some people respond well toSingulair. This is true for all drugs. Singulair does notwork better in people with allergies. I cannot saywhether the drug will in due course be given a listingas a PBS drug for adults. It is available for childrenwith frequent episodic or mild persistent asthma asmonotherapy, not as an add-on treatment.

The good thing about Singulair is that if it is going towork it will be obvious within 2-4 weeks of starting.Some people will undertake this trial but will beprepared to stop its use at the end of that period oftime if no benefit is found. If helpful the dose ofSingulair can be also adjusted.

A word of caution about the high doses of Seretidethat you have used in the past as you have takendoses that are twice the upper limit, prescribed onlyin very special circumstances. It is important to scaledown the doses as early as possible after a trial ofhigher dose therapy.

Finally when there is a lack of response to whatseemed to have been correct treatment of asthma, asin your case, it is important to have the doctor checkthat there is no other medical condition present.

Dear Editor

3For further information contact your local Asthma Foundation 1800 645 130 www.asthmaaustralia.org.au


Something as simple as an asthma spray or a skin creamcould trigger a doping drama in Athens, said Professor

Peter Stricker. The latest list of banned substance released bythe World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) in January contained“significant” changes, he said.

Caffeine, for example, is no longer on the list. But 140 ofAustralia’s 480 Olympians are seeking exemptions from theIOC to use sprays and creams for conditions ranging fromasthma to hay fever, sinusitis and eczema.

“Suddenly it has all changed,” Professor Stricker said, “and it’shard to get the athletes to understand all the changes. You’vestill got to trust that they will all get it right, and you’re alwaysworried that one might slip through the net or fall through thecracks. It only takes one asthmatic out there not thinking who willinadvertently, dare I say, take a couple of puffs, and the wholedrama starts again. It has been nothing short of a nightmare.”

Olympic drug nightmare Wed Jun 23 2004


Professor Stricker said Athens was the first Olympics where athletes had to seekpermission to use bronchodilators such as Ventolin. He said he was concerned thatlaboratory tests conducted in Australia might not show an athlete qualified for anexemption by the IOC’s definition.

But exercising in the polluted air of Athens could produce a “different trigger” for anasthmatic athlete. Preventative drugs could be used, he said, “but it’s still nice tohave Ventolin there if the athlete needs it.”

© AAP 2004

In the media


BE ACTIVE FOR ASTHMA

Vicki, a person with asthma from Victoria, is aboutto embark on a month of solid seaweed salvaging

and Tom from Tasmania will be traipsing his waythrough the Trowunna Wildlife Park in search of athylacine. Olympic swimmer Sam Riley OAM will not be onsuch heady trails but as the campaign’s patron she hopesto inspire even the frailest of people with asthma to take upthe challenge and do some kind of activity.

The gig is as follows; you can engage in any kind of activity,from weeding the garden to running, swimming, walking theferret or spring cleaning the house and you simply findpeople to sponsor you to perform this exercise for 15 hoursat your convenience. However those who are unable toachieve 15 hours can participate to the level of their ability.One of the exciting aspects of this campaign is having theinspirational Sam Riley on board.

“Asthma Foundations in all states want people tounderstand that asthma should not be an impediment tosuccess in any area of pursuit. Sam Riley is a shiningexample of that,' says Asthma Foundations of AustraliaNational Marketing & Development Manager, JeanetteMcKinnon.

This campaign was built on the success of similarcampaigns conducted in Victoria and South Australia lastyear called 24 Hour Workout for Asthma where participantsspent 24 non-consecutive hours doing some kind of activity.This was refined into Be Active for Asthma. The funds raised

provided first aid training for sport coaches, trainers andrecreational leaders. Health, fitness and sporting clubs wereenthusiastic in taking up the baton to engage their membersto participate.

“The pilot was so successful that we decided to expand itnationally as a way to involve communities. Participants willbe drawn from sporting organizations, youth clubs andschools. The other aim is to encourage people who mightnot understand asthma to become involved,' says Jeanette.

We want each state to recruit around 4000 people whowould receive a minimum donation of $2 per hour. Because24 hours of exercise seemed daunting, the requirement hasbeen lowered to coincide with government recommendationsof 30 minutes exercise per day with a 15 hour minimum.

All the frivolity will be tempered with some serious healthmessages. Obesity is now a public health issue. There are astaggering number of overweight children in Australia; 1 in 5are overweight and 1 in 10 are obese. Australia is thesecond most overweight developed country after the USA.Obesity is also an issue for people with asthma who toooften believe they are unable to manage the condition wellenough to pursue exercise. The cycle is perpetuatedbecause overweight people are less physically active.Jeanette McKinnon stresses that this is also an opportunityfor all Australians to get on board and establish a goodfitness regime.

If you fancy lunch withworld champion swimmerSam Riley then it is timeyou joined Australiansacross the country andsigned up for the BeActive for Asthma activity.

Sam qualifies 3rd fastest in the Women's 200mbreaststroke at the 96 Atlanta Olympics


“We rely so much on computers and TV for entertainment whenwe could get out and be active. Maybe instead of driving to thelocal shops people will ride a bike, walk or run. Smokers can usethis as an occasion to quit and get fit.'

Apart from scuba diving, people with asthma should be able toparticipate in any sport as often as they like. This can beachieved by having an Asthma Action Plan and working with adoctor or fitness expert to ensure that fitness goals are built up to

in a safe and appropriate way.

Aside from madcap publicity stunts by our states keen sportinghero ambassadors, there is a very real issue that must not belost in all the revelry, which is that asthma management canprovide people with the ability to enjoy a better quality of lifethrough fitness activities.

By Jeanette Leigh

CAMPAIGNWHAT YOU CAN WINTOP FUNDRAISER – NATIONALThe Top National Fundraiser prize will consists of:1x powerful Dyson DC11 HEPA vacuum cleaner, accommodation for 2 nights (for two)at the Carlton Crest Hotel in Brisbane. While staying there the winner and a friend willenjoy lunch with Sam Riley at the award winning Picasso’s Restaurant. Prize includeseconomy flight for two if coming from interstate. The date and time is subject to SamRiley’s availability. Holiday subject to availability and valid until 31 March 2005.

MOST HOURS – NATIONALParticipant achieving the most hours will win a powerful Dyson DC11 HEPA vacuumcleaner.

TOP FUNDRAISER – FITNESS CENTRE/SPORTING CLUB (NATIONAL)Speedo Olympic FS2 swim suit signed by an Australian medallist, Athens 2004.

TOP FUNDRAISER – CORPORATE (NATIONAL)Appreciation plaque signed by Sam Riley.

TOP FUNDRAISER PER STATE$100 Coles Myer gift voucher

There will also be State participation prizes donated by Fitness First and Skipping Girl.

To participate visitwww.asthmaaustralia.org.au or call

1800 645 130


Sam Riley is renowned as one of Australia’sgreatest ever female swimmers. When we think of

Sam we consider her illustrious history as a sportswomanwith accolades including the Medal of the Order of Australia,the Prime Ministerial Award of Female Athlete of the Yearand as a record breaking swimmer. Now she is keepingabreast of asthma by being the Asthma Foundations ofAustralia Be Active patron. Her role is to help raisecommunity awareness of a chronic condition that she hassuffered from since early childhood.

“At four I had my first asthma attack and at seven my doctorsuggested I learn to swim to help my general fitness and lungcapacity. It was fantastic advice. I was still hospitalisedregularly in those early years although my parents said the

swimming helped. It wasn’t until I increased my training atage15 from four to eight hours a week that I noticed a dramaticimprovement. Even now if I experience some tightness I jumpinto the pool.'

As well as being one of Australia’s most popular sportingpersonalities her trophy room must be a metallurgist’s dreamas her achievements include three Olympic medals; two WorldChampionship Gold medals, five Commonwealth Gamesmedals (four gold) and nine Pan Pacific Games medals. Samhas also set three world and two Commonwealth records. Sheachieved all this while managing a chronic health condition,which in her early years had her in emergency wards abouttwice a year.

A master stroke from swimming icon Sam Riley is to be the delightful face of asthma forthe 2004 Be Active for Asthma campaign.

A champion is asa champion does


Sam is almost blasé in her discussion of her condition. It wasjust something she always had. She never knew any different.

“I don’t remember what it was like not to have asthma and Inever considered it to be a hindrance. The worst part was theembarrassment at school. If I needed to take my Ventolin Iwould hide behind a tree so no one would see me. Now it ismore accepted.'

It wasn’t long before Sam’s potential as a breaststrokerbecame evident. At 15 her coachwas Laurie Lawrence. He knew shewas a natural with the leg flexibilitythat characterized a goodbreaststroke swimmer.

“Laurie took me to the 1988Olympic trials hoping the experience would inspire me to domore training. It worked. I got to see Duncan Armstrong and afew of my swimming heroes who trained with Laurie and madethe team. Duncan won gold that year.'

For anyone to become a champion it takes dedication and anironclad work ethic. For someone with asthma it takes thesame dedication with some modifications thrown in.

“The excitement of training for the Olympics was enoughmotivation for me to get up at 4.45 every morning. It was sucha great experience. We trained outdoors throughout the year inBrisbane. August is renowned up here for westerly winds,which is one of my asthma triggers. That was hard. People sayit doesn’t get cold in Brisbane but some days it was zerodegrees at 5am so there were times when I was unwell whenwe had to make adjustments to the work I did in the pool. It wasalways trial and error regarding what would help me. If I was a

bit tired I would do an easy swim. That was where my coach dida fantastic job in being flexible. He would never say, you can’tdo the session, he would modify the session to suit me.'

Sam retired from swimming four years ago and has a youngson to take care of. There are no more hospital visits due toasthma because she has it under control. Her major triggersare the dust mite, sudden changes in weather and bouts ofcolds or flu.

“Because I have had asthma for solong, I know my triggers and how toavoid them. I get on top of it beforeit gets to that stage.’

Being asked to front the Be Activefor Asthma campaign was an

opportunity for Samantha Riley to share some of herexperiences and encourage people to manage their asthmabetter.

“I wanted people, especially children, to know that asthmadoesn’t have to stop you exercising, that you can do what youwant by taking good care of yourself. People who have hadasthma for a long time think they can manage for themselveswithout seeing a doctor. It is important for me to see a doctorregularly. My dad also has asthma. I encouraged him to see adoctor and get some preventative medication telling him itwould change his life. At first he resisted. When he finally tookthat step he couldn’t believe the difference it made. Seeingyour doctor regularly and having an asthma management planmeans that you can lead the life that you want.'

By Jeanette Leigh

“Because I have had asthma for so long, I know my triggers

and how to avoid them.”


CHICKENOR EGG?

According to Associate Professor Colin Robertson, Respiratory Physician at the RoyalChildren’s Hospital, 80 percent of children diagnosed with asthma have symptoms

induced by exercise; therefore the community at large perceives asthma in a certainway. This can be positive in the sense that the problem can be easily recognised,

however sometimes other respiratory conditions can mimic asthma. Parents, coachesand doctors alike need to be aware of that.

A talented twelve year old soccer player ispromoted from the under 12’s to the under 14’s

and elected as captain of his team. The match beginsand twenty minutes into the game he collapses. He hastrouble breathing, he is choking in fact, but he does nothave asthma, he has a laryngeal dysfunction.

“This is a world recognised phenomenon that is not wellrecognised in the community. It occurs particularly in elitechild athletes where the child goes into training without aproblem and when match day comes they get a throat

obstruction that causes difficulty breathing in so they choke.This gets interpreted as Exercise Induced Asthma (EIA) but itdoesn’t respond to anti-asthma therapy. What they need isbreathing exercises to learn how to control it. It is a simpleeffective intervention and it is important for people to knowthat it exists.'

A number of issues are involved with sport and respiratorydysfunctions. Exercise is a common trigger for Asthma butthere are other similar symptoms that may be attributable toother conditions.


“Doctors, relatives and enthusiastic physical education teacherscan mistake a child who exercises and gets out of breath ashaving asthma when they are actually just unfit. Sometimesgeneral practitioners don’t take long detailed histories so when amother comes in and says Billy can’t keep up at sport, theyassume that it is EIA. Because we are so aware of asthma thereis a tendency to get kids started on treatment when it may notbe appropriate,' says Assoc. Prof Robertson.

In this scenario reliever medication won’t work. Doctors need tobe diligent. Part of the diagnostic process is to determinewhether the child coughs and wheezes, whether there is astrong family history of asthma or allergy and if there are othertriggers; also whether the medication is actually effective.Doctors may also do a lung function test and exercisechallenge.

If asthma symptoms are experienced during or after exercise,play or sport then it may be EIA. Symptoms include coughing,wheezing, feeling tight in the chest and shortness of breath. It isbrought on during activity because the respiratory system can’tcope with the change in air conditions. Our breathing system isa bit like an air conditioner. When we are at rest we breathethrough our nose. As the air moves through the nose it iswarmed and moistened. During exercise we breathe fasterthrough our mouth, inhaling more air. The air is colder anddrier, which makes the muscle around the airways tighten. Theairways narrow, making breathing more difficult.

Anyone exercising in Singapore’s climate would be lesslikely to have EIA because the air is humid and the watercontent high. Asthma sufferers who are Nordic skiersare at a definite disadvantage. Almost all competitiveskiers get some airway inflammation. Regardless, thereare a number of steps to take to protect against anattack including warming up before embarking on activity,cooling down after, using reliever medication 5 to 10 minutesbefore warming up. For some people preventer medications orsymptom controller medications may also be used to preventEIA. Always consult your doctor for medical advice.

It is important that nothing is taken for granted by anyoneinvolved with a child experiencing respiratory distress. Ifsymptoms are experienced on the field, they must cease theactivity. Sit the child down and advise them to relax and controltheir breathing as breathing difficulties can cause panic, whichcan in turn cause hyperventilation. Reassurance is importantalthough it may be necessary to administer Ventolin regardlessif there is no clearly established reason. The attack should beinvestigated for future management.

In addition to our knowledge that there is no known cure forasthma is the knowledge that being fit does not impact on itsincidence.

“There is no direct evidence that exercise will improve the

incidence of attacks but it will make people fitter and more ableto cope,' says Assoc. Professor Peter van Asperen, Head ofDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Children’s Hospital,Westmead.

Children with troublesome asthma are generally likely to be lessfit than those who don’t have asthma. There is no difference infitness between children with mild asthma and those withoutasthma because they can participate in normal activities.

“If a child has EIA then they are limited in the training they cando and so don’t achieve normal levels of fitness,' says Assoc.Prof. Robertson. “However a number of studies show that if youidentify that group of children, treat their asthma and train them,they can achieve normal fitness. This is evidenced by the largebody of elite athletes who go ahead and achieve despitechronic asthma.'

By Jeanette Leigh


Pioneering inventor and founder of

Dyson Appliances, James Dyson,

has six honorary doctorates. He is a firm

believer in using commercial skills to

benefit community organisations.

Four years ago he instructed his Managing

Directors worldwide to go forth and find worthy

causes to champion, the proviso being that they

had like views on research and community

development. The ‘Raise $1million To Help Beat

Asthma’ campaign fitted the bill perfectly.

CLEANING UP A MILLION GOOD WISHES


Australian companies can play a vital role inbuilding awareness for community programs.

This has been evidenced by the successful collaborationbetween Dyson Appliances and Asthma Foundations ofAustralia to raise a target $1million to help beat asthma inAustralia.

The million dollars has contributed to education programsand initiatives by providing printed educational material thathighlights the enormous impact of asthma, which afflictsover two million Australians. Working at a state level Dysonprovided funds for projects that would in turn assist them toraise more money. Funding is crucial to the process ofraising awareness and reducing the incidence of asthmaattacks and death among Australians. Working with Dyson,

who have utilized point-of-sale to educate the publicregarding asthma management, meant that a wideraudience was accessed. Furthering this opportunity, HarveyNorman also came on board and donated $5 for eachvacuum cleaner they sold throughout April and May 2004.

Asthma Foundations message is clear, that a balance ofexercise, medication and self management is the key tomanaging asthma, but it needs to be broadcast far andwide.

“The problem is that too few Australians understand theimportance of an Asthma Action Plan; knowing the signs ofan asthma attack and the triggers that lead to an attack arecrucial,” says Peter Adamson, President of AsthmaFoundations of Australia.

James Dyson challenged his MD’s to find an organisation intheir region that shared his belief in the importance ofresearch, in order to work towards creating significantlifestyle change within the community. The journey began inEngland with commitments to breast cancer campaigns andmeningitis research. They even sponsored a fund raisingwalk across Antarctica.

The Triple Bottom Line approach to business, which focusesnot only on financial performance, but economic, social andenvironmental performance, is reflected in Dyson’sinvolvement in life enhancing activities. Not for profitorganizations like Asthma Foundations of Australia rely notonly on government funding, corporate involvement isimportant to enable us to achieve even higher goals.

At the same time Dyson have been working closely withformer Olympic swimming champion Sam Riley in theirsupport of Be Active for Asthma.

“Many families might be surprised to know that 1 in 6Australian children have a current diagnosis of asthma and397 Australians died from asthma in 2002. Illness and deathassociated with asthma can be reduced with properdiagnosis, medical management and education," says Sam.

Ross Cameron, MD for Dyson Appliances Australia & NewZealand looks forward to an ongoing and fruitful relationshipwith Australian Asthma Foundations.

“Dyson Appliances are a committed supporter of asthmaeducation in Australia. We will continue to partner theAsthma Foundations in innovative ways to raise funds andcommunicate asthma messages,” he says.

(Left to right) Peter Adamson, President of Asthma Foundations of Australia, Sam Riley and Ross Cameron, MD Dyson Appliances at the million dollar launch at North Sydney Olympic Pool for a feature on Channel 7’s Sunrise.

By Jeanette Leigh

HIGH PITCH By Leanne Ortiz

Australian softball captain and Asthma Foundationof Victoria Sporting Achiever Peta Edebone is

about to fulfill her goal of becoming a three-timeOlympian. She has captained the Victorian state team for11 years and is currently captaining the team for the AthensOlympics. Despite the fact that she has had asthma sinceinfancy, her achievements in softball bear the mark of achampion.

Now Peta is one of the ambassadors for the AsthmaFoundation of Victoria’s Be Active for Asthma campaign.She says her experiences with the Asthma Foundation andthe Variety Club of Australia have given her valuableperspective and inspire her whenever injuries or setbacksoccur.

Peta has competed around the globe and secured manyawards and accolades for her efforts. At the BlacktownInternational Softball Challenge in April, Edebone joined

Natalie Ward in becoming thesecond and third players in

the history of SoftballAustralia to play 300games for Australia, afeat only previouslyachieved by retireddual Olympian SallyMcCreedy.

Peta’s well organised trophy cabinet is proudly filled withmemorabilia from her softball career including the twoOlympic bronze medals she earned in Atlanta (1996) andSydney (2000).

Simon Roskvist, head coach of the Australian women’ssoftball team for the Athens Olympics, recalls the 2-runhome run which Edebone smashed at the Sydney Olympicsin the bottom of the 13th innings, to steal the game from theformidable USA outfit.

“I experienced first hand one of those sporting feats thatbecomes legendary.”

Peta is honoured to have been selected as captain andbelieves the team for Athens will field a good balance ofyouth and experience.

“If we play our absolute best throughout the rounds, then wecan be playing off in the gold medal game,” she says.

Regardless of the enormous achievements, her softballjourney has been a difficult one. Injuries have plaguedPeta’s career almost forcing her out of the Atlanta teamwhere she competed with a broken right foot. She evencame perilously close to ending her three-time Olympicdream for Athens after sustaining a grade two tear of themedial ligament in her left knee.

Rehabilitation has involved a 10 week process ofstrengthening exercises, massage, gym work, pilates, poolrehab, medical checks, cardio workouts and basic skillssessions.

“This is all on top of a full 10 hour day’s work. Then I get togo home,” says Peta.

When it comes to injury and pressures to reproduce herprevious form, Peta is philosophical.

“For many years there has been a lot of expectation for meto perform. Thankfully, I too share that level of expectation. Ido not like to let down the team or myself in thosesituations.”

“Peta is one of the toughest athletes I have met,” coachRoskvist says, “both on a physical and mental level she is ano-nonsense, win-oriented leader and our intentions are tomedal. The shinier the better.'

Asthma Foundations of Australia is the leading consumer authority on asthma education,information, research, support and advocacy.14

Peta batting for Australia at the 2000 Sydney Olympics

Fortunately, world aerobic champion Sue Stanleydoesn’t know what it’s like to have asthma, but she

does know a lot about fitness. Her attention these days isturned towards encouraging Australians of all ages to takecare of themselves and enjoy life to the fullest. She is a firmbeliever in the ‘sport for all’ principle; this of course includespeople who have asthma.

“It doesn’t matter what kind of physical exercise you do toincrease your lung and aerobic capacity as long as youenjoy it,' says Sue. “In my experience finding what the clientlikes is the big thing. They may be told that they have to dogym work and then find they don’t like it. The wholeexperience should not be a chore. Walking, running or bikeriding is just as good as activities like netball where yourmind is not just on exercise but strategies, the other teammembers and having fun.'

Diet is a vital component of fitness. By becoming more intouch with our bodies and hyper-aware of how we respondto certain foods we can avoid foods that may trigger asthmaor other allergies and sensitivities.

“Write down everything that you eat and monitor how thosefoods react with you. Everyone should do it, not just thosewith asthma. This way you get to know the foods that relatewell to your body,” says Sue. “As a professional sportsperson if I knew then what I know today about how my bodyresponds to food it would have been easier for me as acompetitor. In aerobics we were judged on strength,flexibility and appearance so food played a big part in notonly expending energy but looking good.'

According to Sue Stanley, a variety of food is the spice of lifeand will in turn spice up your life.

“We tend to fall into the same patterns and eat the samething day in and day out so we only get a certain set ofnutrients and miss out on others. It is a good idea to have alittle bit of everything.'

Consuming a different breakfast every morning is a goodstart. If you have cereal every day your body is going tobecome bored and the energy output to digest it decreases.Alternating cereal with fruit, eggs and toast will spark up anuninspired metabolism.

15

STRAWBERRY DELIGHT Ingredients

100grams Strawberries 300grams Apples100grams Banana

MethodWash the strawberries andapples, remove the cores fromthe apples and cut intopieces to fit through thejuicer. Push thestrawberries and applethrough the juicer using thesafety plunger. Peel and chop thebanana. Blend the banana and juice to a creamy consistency. Pour into a glass andenjoy.

The following recipe is straight from Sue’s nutritiouscookbook and provides a great breakfast alternative.

Other recipes can be found on www.systemstanley.com

THE SPICE OF LIFESome food for thought from fitness and wellbeing aficionado, Sue Stanley

Sue Stanley has a ball with exercise

By Jeanette Leigh

For further information contact your local Asthma Foundation 1800 645 130 www.asthmaaustralia.org.au

Soupa day, held around the country at the end of July, has been

consuming the interests of several state Asthma Foundation branches.

This is where individuals and organizations became Soupa Heroes

selling mugs of soup to raise money for asthma research. In

Tassie the event was launched at Freedom Furniture. Schools,

businesses and community groups joined in by holding their

own Soupa Days.

In Victoria there were Soupa Heroes galore. Channel Ten

Sports presenter and former Carlton football player

Stephen Silvagni and Renee Henderson from the

Footy Show’s ‘House of Bulger’ promoted

the day dressed as Soupa Heroes as

seen in Melbourne’s MX News.

Gabriel Gate featured soup for

Soupa Day as part of his cooking

segment on Good Morning

Australia. HMAS Cerberus in

South Eastern Victoria served soup

to the entire base, which was

publicised in the Herald Sun with a

fabulous colour photo of a sailor sipping

soup in a Lifebuoy.

And in South Australia, radio personality Anne

Wills launched Soupa Day on Friday 2nd July

with local sports stars from Adelaide United, Port

Power and the ETSA Contax netball team. The

local sports stars transformed into Soupa

Heroes as they took part in games like making

the tallest towers of soup tins, acting out soup

names in Soupa Charades and tasting

unusual soups while blindfolded. The event

was sponsored by ETSA Utilities and great

prizes were provided by David Brooks, The

Good Guys, IGA, ETSA Utilities and Heinz.

Stirring the soup

Asthma Foundations of Australia is the leading consumer authority on asthma education,information, research, support and advocacy.16

Sports presenter Stephen Silvagni joins WonderWoman (Footy Show’s Renee Henderson) in a

quest for truth, justice and freedom from asthma.

Ann Wills celebrates Soupa Day with Port Power team in South Australia.


Asthma Foundation of Northern Territory promotesself management of asthma by co-ordinating the

Woodside Asthma Swim Program (W.A.S.P.), which isfully sponsored by Woodside Petroleum and conductedat the Goldfishbowl Swim Centre in Palmerston.

Classes comprising swimming tuition or squad trainingbegan two years ago with 20 children and expanded to 45.The program aims to improve health through exercise andincrease understanding of asthma by providing asthmaeducation within a supportive and friendly environment.

Exercise, particularly swimming, helps develop respiratory fitness andhas wonderful benefits for children with respiratory illnesses likeasthma. A recent W.A.S.P. survey showed a markedimprovement in participants understanding of asthmasymptoms, triggers and overall management.Parents and swimming instructors have recognisedhow important the program has been to thephysical and social development of their children.

Several children are involved in competitiveswimming. Jessica Jones, who joined our programthis year, competed in the NT Championshipsin March and became champion of the10years and under girls’ category. Shewas awarded four Gold and three Silvermedals. We are all very proud of her.

Rachael WoodhamAsthma Educator AFNT

WOODSIDE ASTHMA SWIM PROGRAM NT

Young Siobhan Tonks enjoys her time with her swimming instructor in the

Woodside Asthma Swim Program (above).

Jessica Jones proudly receives her award.

Western Australia Victoria

The Asthma Friendly Schools (AFS) Program

is continuing its strong growth and

development across the country. As of April this

year 6,237 schools are now registered in the program

and working towards becoming ‘Asthma Friendly’.

This represents 61 percent of all Australian schools.

Supporting schools through the process of becoming

‘Asthma Friendly’ is our biggest interest and challenge.

A variety of strategies have been devised to this end.

All states are working hard to develop their websites to

promote the AFS program and its resources and have

formed strong relationships with key educational and

health organisations to ensure Asthma Management

Guidelines are in policy documentation.

Several wonderful resources complementing the

program have been developed including a ‘Mission

Asthma’ CDROM, information booklet for teenagers

and the Short Wind video for

indigenous groups. Priorities

for the next phase of the

program are to continue

building the program provider

networks in each state, and

from an Australia-wide

perspective, the

implementation of a National

Evaluation program.

Jodie Whinnen

Asthma Friendly Schools

Project Coordinator, AFWA

The Victorian AFS program is moving ahead in

leaps and bounds. Chandler Primary School was

the first school in Victoria to implement the Asthma

Friendly Schools Program in 2001. Students Renee and

Monique Malmanche proudly display their new Asthma

Friendly School signage (below). Since then, 20

percent of Victorian schools have completed the

program and 80 percent of all schools in the state have

registered to take part.

Robin Ould, CEO, Asthma Foundation of Victoria says,

‘Any school that takes the initiative to register for this

program must be congratulated. This program is a

‘safeguard’ against possible tragedy. There is no

reason why every school in the state should not be

registered, especially when the program is simple,

easy to implement and incurs no charges.’

Susan Preece

Asthma Friendly Schools Project Officer, AFVIC


Renee and Monique Malmanche from Chandler Primary School display the new Asthma Friendly School signage.

Asthma – Over the horizon

Asthma Foundations of Australia, renowned forbeing innovative and proactive in the best

management practice of asthma is traversing newterritory by holding their key event, the 2005 AustralianAsthma Conference on the island of Sabah in Malaysia.Asthma – Over the horizon, the theme of the new venture,aims to bring together experts from across the globe toexplore and pool information regarding different cultural andscientific approaches to asthmaand to showcase thetremendous volume of researchand resources that ourorganization has to offer.

Researchers predict that rates ofasthma will double over the next10 years in Asia alone. Thetheme, Asthma – Over thehorizon, reflects the fact thatasthma knows no geographical,cultural or religious boundaries.The conference committeeconsists of an experienced team drawn from the sevenAustralian Asthma Foundations who are currently developinga broad international program. There will be an eclectic mix ofkeynote speakers with plenary sessions, specific issuesymposia and practical skills workshops.

This conference is a must for anyone affected by or interestedin the issues concerning asthma. Your host for thisconference is Asthma Foundation Northern Territory (AFNT)who were the proud winners of the Prime Minister’s award forexcellence in Community Business Partnerships in 2003 forthe NT. They are thrilled to have the opportunity of bringingthis important event to Australians as well as our neighboursto the north.

‘We will continue to strive to work closely with our partners andsponsors to maintain this standard and tradition,’ saysMichelle Menzies, Executive Officer of AFNT.

A range of interactive workshop sessions will be presented byleading Australian and International researchers andpractitioners. Throughout the conference program andassociated events, delegates will have the opportunity tonetwork with peers, leading respiratory researchers andpractitioners. The 2005 conference will also provide the

opportunity for delegates to access product information frommanufacturers, suppliers and companies from a variety ofareas in the health field.

ABOUT SABAHthe “Land below the Wind”Apart from the obvious benefits of attending this symposium,the added attraction is the location. Sabah is an island that

sits at the tip of Borneo. It is theworld’s third largest island. Theclimate is tropical and it issummer all year round. Dailytemperatures range from 23 to33 degrees, with coolerweather up in the mountains.

Its population comprisesseveral ethnic groups speakingmore than 80 local dialects.They are a diverse yetharmonious mix of interwoven

cultures and traditions. Kota Kinabalu (referred to by localsas KK) is the capital of Sabah. There are mountain ranges(Mount Kinabalu), fertile plains covered in lush forests andexotic plants and wildlife dwell deep in the forests andsurrounding waters (Uncle Tan’s Jungle Sanctuary is a mustsee). There is also a wide range of activities available fromextreme adventure sports to more leisurely pursuits.

KK is a mixture of bright lights, excellent cuisines and a majorhighlight are its unspoiled islands just 10 minutes byspeedboat from the city centre. Sabah, the land below thewind, is a fabulous tourist destination that will attractdelegates from across the globe.

INVITATIONWe invite delegates to register now for this groundbreaking conference.

For more information please contact DesliensPhone 08 8941 0388Fax 08 8981 8382Email [email protected]

Asthma – Over the horizon 7th – 9th September 2005


ANNOUNCING AUSTRALIAN ASTHMA CONFERENCE

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Documents

ISSUE 25 SEPTEMBER 04 - Sam Riley Swim Schools · Sporting stars galore A million good wishes Bumper sports issue UPDATE ISSUE 25 SEPTEMBER 04. Spring is a time when people emerge