Balloon Day fast approaching

The Asthma Foundation is encouraging schools to participate in Asthma Awareness Week in early May this year (3rd-9th May inclusive).

Even though the week is fast approaching, getting set up for Asthma Awareness Week/Balloon Day doesn’t take long and participation is not labour intensive. You can simply register at www.asthmafoundation.org.nz or call Malcolm on 04-499 4592.

Schools, which can keep half the money they raise, generally participate by holding fund-raisers such as, for example, mufti days with a gold coin donation participation fee and awareness raising activities including talks by students and staff with asthma at school assembly.

Activities can be done any time in May.

The foundation has free balloons and posters for schools to use and a list of suggestions it will send out to interested schools.

A number of prizes (generously donated by Mitre 10) will be awarded to the schools that raise the most money:

•    First prize: Sony Cyber-Shot 8.1MP camera.

•    Second prize: Sony Hi-Fi Micro System.

Prizes will be awarded in the following categories: primary/intermediate (total), secondary (total) and secondary (per student).

The Asthma Foundation will again emphasise that one in four NZ children has asthma. Moreover, with an estimated half a million school days lost to asthma each year in Aotearoa, asthma’s prevalence and severity detracts from a lot of hard work done by teachers and other staff.