2nd May 2017 – World Asthma Day

Read this inspiring story from Michael Camilleri who joined our breathing course in August 2016 and is now
free of asthma and the need for medication.
Posted: Tuesday 2 May 2017

Tuesday 2nd May 2017 is World Asthma Day and what better way to mark it than this inspiring story from
Michael Camilleri, one of our clients:

My story is hard for me to believe. It is a success story. Up until late last year I had had asthma for my whole
life. I took Ventolin and Flixotide for the majority of my adult life and when I was a child I spent countless
nights on a machine I don’t remember the name with various drugs inhaled for dizzying hours at a time. Last
year my asthma reached yet another point where I felt like my medication wasn’t working, it was getting
away from me and yet all the doctor could say was increase your dose. Where would that road have taken
me?

Right next door to the doctor was Asthma NZ. I had visited months before and was told that my lungs were
‘aged’ 66 years, this time when I went I was told they had ‘aged’ even more and I was shocked. Janet, one of
the asthma nurse educators at Asthma New Zealand, recommended Buteyko and having done it as a child I
decided I needed to act now and did.

Since doing the course in August 2016 I have been asthma free. Over the last few months there have been
times where I have felt the early signs of asthma and I have simply done my exercises until it has passed. I
have played sport (volleyball, squash) and even done the most intense hike of my life and I’ve been…fine. I
have managed to breathe through my nose almost the whole time which initially I wasn’t able to do with
exercise.

I don’t even carry my medication anymore. I used to carry my puffer in my pocket. If I didn’t feel it in there I
would freak out. Now I don’t even carry it in my bag to work! It is at home and I think it would be foolish to not
have the option but at the same time I don’t believe I will ever need it again.

Two weeks ago a regular customer told me her daughter who was with her hasn’t been well. I asked what
the problem was and she said she has asthma. I asked her what she was doing for this and then told her my
story. I can’t believe how muffled alternative medicine is. The fact it’s even referred to as alternative is crazy.
I am happy to share and really want to see more people give Buteyko a go. It’s the way out.

Thanks, Michael

World Asthma Day, 2nd May 2017
World Asthma Day is an annual event organised by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) to improve
asthma awareness and care around the world. World Asthma Day takes place on the first Tuesday of May