If you’re familiar with the experience of wheezing, chest tightness, or shortness of breath, you’re not alone.
According to the Lung Health Foundation (LHF), there are over 4.6 million people living with asthma in Canada.
“Every year an estimated 250 Canadians lose their lives to the disease,” says Lung Health Foundation President and CEO Jessica Buckley. “While asthma can’t be cured, with proper treatment, and regular use of devices like inhalers, people with asthma can lead normal, active lives.”
The growing epidemic led LHF to partner with Canadian Olympic Gold Medalist Maggie Mac Neil, who overcome asthma to get to the world’s highest podium. She also became the face of LHF’s lung health awareness campaign, Our Lungs Make Our Lives.
Almost 30% of Canadians living with asthma have missed out on life experiences because of uncontrolled symptoms and 56% are reaching for their reliever inhalers 3+ times a week.
Living with asthma
Trish Carter, a 47-year-old mother of two and former Ontario resident who’s now living her dreams on an ocean-side farm in Prince Edward Island, has had asthma since she was 20 years old. “At first, I didn’t know what it was,” she recalls. “I just chronically had a cough and shortness of breath. Eventually, a doctor said they thought I had asthma and gave me an inhaler.”
Over the years, Trish kept the inhaler close at hand — next to her on the bench when she played competitive hockey or hooked onto her belt as she rock climbed. She loved being active, but her asthma often got in the way. Many Canadians struggle with their asthma — up to 80% of people don’t use their inhaler correctly which can result in increased risk of side effects, such as thrush, and poor asthma control, attributed to medication not getting into the lungs.1,3 Trish was unaware that there was a solution to help her get the most of her inhaled medication.
Exploring options to get the most out of your inhaler
Use of a spacer is simple and the most effective way to help improve the use of your inhaler. Spacers help to ensure that your medicine reaches your lungs where
it’s needed and limits the amount that ends up in the back of the throat, which can lead to side effects.3
“About 10 years ago, a respiratory therapist introduced me to spacers,” says Trish. “I couldn’t believe the difference it made. It was like day and night.”
The AeroChamber2go® Chamber
Trish uses the AeroChamber2go® Chamber from Trudell Medical International — based in London, Ont. — which includes a two-in-one chamber and protective storage case for the inhaler. It’s designed for on-the-go use. “It’s a beautiful, magical, compact unit,” says Trish. “Now, anytime I have an asthma attack or symptoms, my recovery is so much faster and easier.”
With the AeroChamber2go® Chamber, Trish’s asthma is under much better control. Whether she’s riding horses, playing with the goats with her daughters, or moving around hay bales in the barn, she feels a new sense of ease. “Using the AeroChamber2go® Chamber has definitely improved my quality of life,” she says.
Asthma Management Tools
Learn more about managing your asthma through the resources at Lung Health Foundation. For convenient access to improved respiratory care, the AeroChamber® brand of chambers is now available through online retailers and at your local pharmacy. You may be eligible for health insurance coverage with a prescription from your doctor.
Visit Shoppers.ca to purchase your AeroChamber2go® Chamber to get the most from your inhaler.
