Why should I pay to breathe??

Asthma UK is running a campaign to get the prescription charges dropped for those of us with asthma. Why should I pay to breathe??

Asthma UK Home page

Now if you have a thyroid issue, or are diabetic, or have cancer, you get free prescriptions. But, if like me, you have asthma, you pay.

Now I am not saying that those conditions are not life threatening - they are. But so is asthma. 

And I know that there will be people who say that asthma isn't that serious, and that the NHS had more important things to spend money on.

But if you have asthma, it's almost like playing Russian roulette - especially if you cannot afford the current prescription charge of £8.80 per damned item. 

I'm very lucky, as I *can* afford the charges, I also have a very supportive (and protective) partner, who makes sure that I have used my preventer inhaler, and that I am carrying my reliever inhaler, as well as having friends and family who keep an eye on me.

But not everyone is as lucky as I am. According to information from Asthma UK:

Asthma attacks hospitalise someone every 8 minutes; 185 people are admitted to hospital because of asthma attacks every day in the UK (a child is admitted to hospital every 20 minutes because of an asthma attack).

So I have just one question? How many more families will have to lose a loved one, before asthma sufferers like me have to stop paying to breathe?

Karen

The spirit that guides you follow it through
To the spirit inside you always be true
You know you'll despair
If the spirit inside is used without care