Lesley's story
Diagnosed in her teens, Lesley was able to live a relatively normal life with asthma – until her husband Paul died in 2020.
Just two days after Paul’s funeral, she was admitted to hospital with pneumonia. She was discharged three weeks later. Since then, she has been hospitalised eight times, often for long and difficult stays.
Now, asthma has a profound effect on her life. Once a regular at the gym, now she struggles to walk up the stairs or play with her grandchildren.
Lesley finds the mental toll as hard as the physical.
“I’m terrified that one day I won’t be able to breathe”, she says.
She worries constantly about her three children and grandson with asthma, too.
“It’s no way to live”.
Thankfully, Lesley has found vital support though our Adviceline:
“To know someone is there for you is amazing. I can tell my asthma nurse things I wouldn’t trouble my consultant with – no question is too small. She understands exactly what I’m going through.
She reminds me to be kind to myself. It’s such a comfort.”
Right now, more people like Lesley urgently need us to get through their darkest days.
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