Moama Village Pharmacy, NSW, is taking an active role in National Asthma Awareness Week (01-07 Sep) by supporting and educating the community about asthma and hay fever. “We provide ongoing clinics to help people with asthma and hay fever all year round,” Moama Village Pharmacy asthma educator and pharmacist Sherri Barden (pictured) said in the Riverine Herald, yesterday. “In National Asthma Week we are launching a more formalised inhaler technique check with our pharmacists in-store. “Pharmacists have traditionally checked techniques, we just want to bring it to the forefront, because up to 90% of patients use their inhalers incorrectly. “We want to make sure patients are doing it right and getting the best effect from their inhaler treatment,” she explained in the online publication. During spring, Barden knows that patients with asthma or seasonal hay fever are at an increased risk of thunderstorm asthma. She recommended that patients have their reliever inhalers, such as Ventolin, on hand always in case they get symptoms, and should also know asthma first-aid. “People die from asthma, it is a chronic, inflammatory, respiratory condition that needs to be taken seriously,” Barden said. “Education is really important because we have some wonderful medications to help and there are always new medicines and devices becoming available. “We can’t cure asthma, but we can treat it really well and prevent it with the right medications. “One in nine Australians suffer from asthma and 80% of people with asthma have hay fever. “It is known that hay fever can trigger asthma as well, so we need to have really good control of hay fever which we can do with overthe-counter medications, so you are less likely to end up in hospital or presenting at emergency departments.” As part of National Asthma Week, all the Moama pharmacies are supporting the Zoe Kennedy Foundation. The niece of Echuca GP Sam Kennedy and physiotherapist Georgie Kennedy, Zoe Kennedy’s life was cut short after an acute asthma attack at the age of 13. At both pharmacies customers can purchase a wristband to help raise funds for the foundation, the publication has reported.