Asthma: "I’m excited to read the final research and know that I’ve helped to shape it."

Josh is one of our Patient Experts, a group of patient advocates who are dedicated to spreading awareness, empowering their fellow patients and championing their needs with empathy and dedication.

Hello, and thank you for agreeing to share your experience with Carenity.

Firstly, could you tell us more about yourself (who you are, your family life, what you enjoy doing…)?

Sure thing. I’m Josh, I live on the south-coast of England. I work in the music industry and get to travel quite a bit through my role, which is exciting - and I’m lucky to be in one of those jobs where I never really feel like I’m ‘working’.

Could you share some information about your medical condition? At what age were you diagnosed? What is your current management plan (doctors, treatments, non-medical interventions…)?

I’ve had asthma since I can remember, and was diagnosed as a young child, with a strong history of asthma throughout my family. Currently, I’m on preventative inhalers and a preventative tablet (Montelukast) which has been my treatment for the past fifteen years or so. It’s very rare that I need any further medical intervention, and most often I know what I need to do should the symptoms worsen.

You were born prematurely. According to you and your doctors, is there a connection between this and your medical condition?

I remember it being discussed by my doctors from when I was young, although the main area it was discussed was within my family. My grandparents on my mother’s side were both doctors, with my grandmother suffering from asthma. I remember her on numerous occasions saying that she was fairly sure there was a connection between premature birth and developing asthma as a child.

What has been your journey with the illness from the time of diagnosis until today?

My asthma was certainly worse when I was younger and required several hospital visits. As I’ve got older, I’ve learnt to control it myself, alongside the suggested treatments. It’s been quite a while now since I’ve had an overnight hospital visit, and the only ones I’ve had in the past ten years have been when I’ve run out of medication.

You are a "Patient Expert." How did you attain this status? Why did you decide to become a Patient Expert?

I was contacted after filling in an initial survey, and the main motivation was to discover more about the assumptions that my grandparents had made! I enjoy discussing concepts and ideas, and being part of this process has been very enlightening, and I hope it contributes positively to a better understanding of the subject.

In what ways do you embody the role of a Patient Expert? How does this status enable you to assist patients with the same medical condition as yours?

I’m not sure entirely, but I hope I embody it in a positive way! I’d like to think that the information and experiences that I’ve shared will be able to help gain a better understanding of the difficulties surrounding premature births and asthma and other similar medical issues.

What advice could you give to patients who also aspire to become Patient Experts?

Do it! It’s been a brilliant process to me part of, and one where I certainly feel that my feedback has been taken on board. It’s been fascinating to hear from others in similar situations to myself, and I’m excited to read the final research and know that I’ve helped to shape it.

Did you also have a premature birth and suffer from asthma and/or COPD? We're conducting a survey with Chiesi to explore awareness of preterm status and its link to respiratory conditions. Your voice matters a lot, so please participate here:

Patient journey of preterm born people with respiratory dysfunctions

A big thank you to Josh for this interview!

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Take care of yourself!