The Asthma Society of Ireland is inviting the people of Ireland to collectively join the ‘Take a Breath’ Challenge this St Patrick’s weekend (17-20th March) and fundraise to help the organisation to survive and continue its work.
To remember all the people who have lost their lives to asthma or to COVID-19, the Asthma Society invites family, friends, loved ones and any person who is an “asthma or COVID-19 survivor” to join them in a 5km Sunset ‘In Memory’ Walk in the Phoenix Park at 5pm on Saturday 19th March. The walk will start from DASH Container Cafe at the Hole in the Wall, Blackhorse Avenue (adjacent to the Phoenix Park). All ages and all levels of fitness are welcome to join for some or all of the walk or simply for the shared moment. At the end of the walk, at sunset, everyone will take a collective breath to remember those who have lost their lives. Please visit asthma.ie for further information.
Alternatively, over this special “long, long weekend”, you might choose to take on your own fundraising ‘Take a Breath’ Challenge – take an icy plunge at the Forty-Foot, cycle the Greenway with friends, tackle the Conor Pass, climb the Sugarloaf with family, or simply take a breath with friends to catch up. Visit asthma.ie for information on how to set up your own fundraising challenge. Whatever you choose to do, the Asthma Society asks you to donate to their urgent fundraising appeal so that they can keep children and adults with asthma safe. One person dies every five days as a result of their asthma.
There are over 380,000 men, women and children living with asthma in Ireland and 1 in 5 or 890,000 people will get it in their lifetime1. Regular medical review, access to appropriate and affordable medication, education and self-management skills are key to preventing asthma deaths. The Asthma Society is fighting asthma with every breath and its mission is that by 2030 nobody will die from their asthma.
If challenges aren’t your thing, post your ‘Take a Breath’ image to your favourite social media channel and show the post to staff at any DASH Cafe location (Stephen’s Street Lower D2, Blackhorse Avenue, D7 or Cycle Superstore, Tallaght, D24) anytime across 17-20th March and you will receive a free coffee. You can also donate to the Asthma Society at any of the DASH locations. Alternatively, you can choose to ‘Take a Breath’ with the Asthma Society on Sunday 20th March at 10am with a Yoga class in the Phoenix Park, hosted adjacent to DASH Container Cafe, at the Hole in the Wall, Blackhorse Ave. The €25 booking fee will include a free t-shirt, coffee, porridge, and your class (thanks to DASH and parkHIIT). Tickets are available for purchase on Eventbrite.ie.
However you choose to ‘Take a Breath’ this St Patrick’s weekend, Sarah O’Connor, CEO of the Asthma Society encourages you to get involved in your own way, “After a turbulent two years, let’s make moments and memories this extended bank holiday weekend. We would warmly invite people to join us on our Sunset ‘In Memory’ Walk from DASH in the Phoenix Park where we will then take a breath remembering those who have lost their lives to asthma, or those who have lost their lives to COVID-19. Alternatively, you can ‘Take a Breath’ your own way and share your support and fundraising efforts on social media.
As a small charity hugely impacted by the extended pause of fundraising in the last two years, we urgently need donations to survive as a charity. On average a person will take 22,000 breaths per day. Take one for the 380,000 people with asthma from 17-20th March to help us continue our life-saving work. Ultimately, our ambitious goal is that no man, woman or child will die from an asthma attack in Ireland.”
Rory O’Connor (@rorysstoriesofficial), Author and Comedian, and Asthma Ambassador says, “I will be leading the walk in memory of those we have lost to asthma and COVID-19. My wife, one of my children and I have asthma and it can be a hard condition to manage – especially over the last couple of years. People struggle to take a breath and they need help, information and support. My family and I will together take a breath this St Patrick’s weekend to help raise money for the Asthma Society. Please join us and show your support by tagging @asthmasocietyofireland and #takeabreath on your social media and by donating at asthma.ie.”
Speaking about her own experiences with asthma, Rachel Murray, Severe Asthma Patient and Asthma Advocate, is encouraging people to take a breath for her and others living with asthma saying, “As a person living with severe asthma, it can be really debilitating. In Ireland, asthma is regarded as a common illness but for me, it is life-threatening.
I am asking people with asthma or people who have had COVID-19 and who have insight into what it’s like to struggle to ‘take a breath’ to support us from 17-20th March. One person will die every five days as a result of their asthma but the Asthma Society’s mission is that no one will die from asthma by 2030. Every donation can make a difference in helping the charity to survive and to achieve this overarching goal.”
How will you ‘Take a Breath’ for the Asthma Society? Is it time to take on Sugarloaf Mountain, or explore the mighty cliffs along the Wild Atlantic Way? A family day out to Glendalough or a moment to savour the golden hour on Lahinch strand? Maybe you might meet a friend you have not seen since the pandemic began and take a breath together.
Whether you join one of the Asthma Society organised events or run your own, the Asthma Society invites you to tag them on social media (Instagram @AsthmaSocietyofIreland, Facebook @AsthmaSociety, or Twitter @AsthmaIreland) using #TakeABreath and encourages you to donate to the charity via the donate button on asthma.ie. For further information on the Asthma Society’s ‘Take a Breath’ Challenge please visit asthma.ie.
The Asthma Society welcomes any person who would like to wear a mask at its events to do so – we support all patients as they work to protect themselves and their loved ones’ health.
