Describe your asthma journey. What challenges have you faced and how have you overcome them?

24 years ago, my young son son was hospitalized........and I was then told he has asthma. Surprise!

Later, my other two children (and I) were diagnosed with asthma, and we've had many ER and hospital visits. Years after earning a degree in Interior Design, I went back to college for a Public Health degree.

My family didn't get the asthma education we needed when my kids were first diagnosed, and I wanted to learn everything about asthma and then help other families. I earned a Public Health degree, and earned a certification in Public Health and Asthma Education . I am a nationally Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES), and Certified Asthma Educator (AE-C).

Do you have a specific success story or milestone that you are particularly proud of?

I created my county's Asthma Program in 2009, and coordinated it until 2022. I wrote and received almost $1 million in grants during that time. I coordinated an Asthma Home Visit Program, providing guidelines-based asthma education and environmental trigger reduction strategies. Our statewide program won the 2022 EPA Environmental Leadership for Asthma Management Award!

I have presented nationally at asthma conferences and been published in peer reviewed journals. I am Past Chair of the Utah Asthma Task Force, Past President of the Utah Chapter of Society for Public Health Education (USOPHE), former Executive Board Member of Association of Asthma Educators (AAE).

I was on the Editorial Board for Allergy & Asthma Network, and briefly worked for them providing education to people in the US (and globally.)

Since 2015, our family has advocated during Allergy & Asthma Day on Capitol Hill. We join others from across the country to talk to our legislators about gaps in care and funding. We speak on behalf of those who can't advocate for themselves.

I also started an award-winning blog in 2010, My Life as an Asthma Mom. I have over 775 posts and almost 1 million views. I share accurate information from reputable sources. I am also a content developer for asthma.net and allergies. net.

Have you helped or supported someone else with asthma?

Not only have I helped my three children, but friends and family members. I also helped helped countless people when I coordinated an Asthma Home Visit Program for my county.

What motivates you to stay positive and proactive in managing your or your loved ones' asthma?

Since my three children and I live with asthma, I know that asthma attacks can (and do) occur at any time. I also know how scary it can be to sit in the ER with a severe asthma flare due to wildfire smoke, pneumonia, or the flu.

I feel it's important to attend asthma conferences and stay up to date on any changes to the national or global guidelines. And be aware of any new inhalers, generic version of inhalers, or any new asthma biologics.

Who or what has been your biggest source of support and inspiration in your or your loved ones' asthma journey?

My family has been my biggest supporters. They see me helping others and patiently wait - even while on vacation! They know how important it is for me to help those who aren't getting the in-depth education they need.

My family bought a license plate cover for my car that says, "Help! I'm Talking and I Can't Shut Up!"

Do you have any advice for others living with asthma or for those supporting someone with asthma?

Find a support group, or even a group of friends that have asthma so you can talk about challenges. But, make sure you are getting accurate information from national allergy & asthma foundations.

There are a lot of myths about asthma, and people can have good intentions, but can repeat inaccurate information about allergies and asthma.

What else would you like to share about your or your loved ones' asthma journey or your story?

Trust your instinct. If you feel like something is wrong with yourself or a loved one, go back to the doctor. Asthma can go from bad to worse very quickly.

There were several times when the pediatrician said my kids were fine during a daytime asthma visit. But, I felt something was wrong, and I would take one of my kids to the ER a few hours later. They would be diagnosed with pneumonia, RSV, or the flu and be admitted to the hospital for 3 days.

Learn the lingo of asthma so the doctor knows you're knowledgeable about asthma. Also, tell the doctor or ER staff that "this isn't normal for MY child, or this is unusual for them."

We don't always act like textbook examples of asthma.