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HOW IT ALL BEGAN: A personal mission
Liz Boden
RN, RSCN, NRTC Instructor, Founder of Open Airways
I have had asthma all my life and during my childhood suffered many serious asthma attacks, missed weeks at a time from school and had many hospital admissions. During the final year of my nursing training in London, I was admitted to an Intensive Care Unit 5 times with serious life threatening attacks of asthma. My mother actually suggested I move out of London and find somewhere 'by the sea' to work where the climate was better. I applied to be a nurse at King Edward Memorial Hospital in 1969 not realizing that Bermuda was one of the worst places in the world for asthma!
In 1990 I read about the National Respiratory Training Center's diploma course in asthma care. I had no idea that the first person I was going to help was me! Since that day I have had almost no asthma symptoms, my lung function has improved considerably and I feel as if I can climb any mountain!
It is for this reason that I am passionate about my work and determined to make a difference to as many people who suffer with this disabling, disruptive, life-threatening disease. It is easy to prevent asthma using modern medications which are safe and effective and through avoiding as many triggers as possible, particularly in the home environment.
In 1991 I attended The National Asthma Campaigns International Conference in UK. While listening to speakers from around the world talk about the enormous difficulties caring for people with asthma in huge continents, living in remote areas, up mountains, in jungles etc., I suddenly realized that Bermuda should be easy. I decided to take the bull by the horns and tackle the job!
I began offering asthma education in 1994 and soon realised a charity was needed to help get essential basic equipment and education services to those who could not afford it. This charity should also aim to offer education to individuals, to the community and to health care professionals. It was not until 1997 that this dream was realized when Catriona Godfrey B.A. (Hons), C.A. (then Vice President at AON) offered to take on the task of establishing and registering a charity. Together we have endeavored to achieve these early goals and we have been very fortunate to have received generous support from both individuals and the corporate community.
Bermuda is only 24 miles long, with one general hospital, plenty of licensed Doctors who must attend lectures weekly to keep up to date with changes in medical care. Anyone can reach the emergency department in 30 minutes; most people can be there in far less time. There are 13 pharmacies and no shortage of medical supplies. There are 3 newspapers, 3 TV and radio channels and the media is very happy to support our mission to help prevent asthma.
Bermuda is a very special place where people are friendly and word soon gets passed around. Many referrals for asthma education come not from a physician but from a next-door neighbour, someone sitting at the next desk at work and even from someone they spoke to at the bus stop! I believe this plays an important part in our success story.
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