photo by steed media service

Asthma is a far more prolific killer and debilitating ailment than most people even begin to realize. Gay Chism, the Asthma Project Manager for Addressing Asthma in Englewood laments, “We’re here in the Englewood community because children here have double the pediatric hospitalization [rate] than the rest of the city. We want to make sure that no children die of asthma.” Chism stated “I’m here to demonstrate how to use your asthma equipment properly. I’m also here to talk about lung health and smoking cessation. We want to keep children healthy.”

Chism works tirelessly to illuminate the dangers of the disease as well as the plethora of ways children and families can live a more productive life despite the condition. The long accepted school of thought has been for children to be restricted from activities which require substantial movement. However, more recent studies indicate that physical restrictions for children have psychological ramifications as well as physical and developmental consequencs.

“We want to keep them out of the emergency room, out of intensive care and in school. And we also want to keep them involved in all the activities that they enjoy,” she says. “Asthma should not keep them from playing basketball and football and track, or any other activity.” -terry shropshire

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