For 1.2 million Dutch people, the possibility of breathing freely is not at all a matter of course. They have a lung disease such as COPD or asthma. Charis is one of them, she suffers from severe asthma. “As a young person I felt there was no good cure for me at that time. Only prednisone or a stay in the Alps could provide relief. That’s just not what you want to hear when you’re at the beginning of your life!
Astmacentrum Davos
In 2011, Charis was rushed to the Dutch Asthma Center in Davos, Switzerland following a hospital stay. “Maybe I wouldn’t have been there anymore if I hadn’t ended up there. In Davos I was allowed to be human again, I could breathe and move without immediately feeling short of breath,” says Charis. She currently stays regularly in the Alps and also uses special medications against asthma. Yet she has to deal with her illness every day: “I have shortness of breath and I have to consciously concentrate on my breathing. This costs me a lot of energy. Furthermore, I constantly have to evaluate whether I can do something. If I choose to walk, I have to lie down again afterwards to recover.
be positive
Nonetheless, Charis tries to remain optimistic: “The days I spend without the necessary nap are special and for me they are a celebration. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always work, just like staying positive. There are bad days that require a lot of energy and make me very sad. There are also many things I haven’t been able to do yet due to my illness. This is how I always wanted to get my driving license. I would also like to study psychology and put my bread on the table. But all of this simply requires too much energy. This makes me permanently unable to work, as they call it. It’s hard to accept. So every now and then there’s that little voice in my head that tells me I’m not enough and I go to the psychologist. Then he gives me a refresher on how to “deal with your illness and your energy” and then I can move on again.
Love
It’s not just the medicine and the fresh mountain air that help her cope with her illness: “Love makes me feel better!”, beams Charissa. Her boyfriend Koen is her support and source of support: “Since I met Koen, I became a bonus mom and was allowed to take care of her children, I had fewer negative moments “. Furthermore, Charis has good hopes for the future: “My pulmonologist says there are many new drugs on the horizon that can help me. This gives me hope.
Discoveries for lung diseases
Charis knows better than anyone how important it is for more research to be done on lung diseases: “The Long Fund funds scientific research into medical breakthroughs for lung diseases such as asthma. Just like the 1.2 million people living with lung disease, I know that a breakthrough like this is desperately needed. And Longfonds helps me make lung disease much more visible. For example, I regularly write on his Instagram about how I experience my illness.”
Lung fundus
Thanks to participants in the postcode lottery, Longfonds has received more than €4.8 million in the last five years. Longfonds is committed to healthy lungs and healthy air. For a world where everyone can breathe freely.
Want to know more about Longfonds? Then click here.
2024-01-11 19:28:10
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