Blog
Radon: Test now and breathe easy
November is Radon Action Month, which means you may hear about this silent killer more than usual in the coming days.Many people have heard of the gas but it is still hiding in the shadows. Given that it is the second leading cause of lung cancer (first is tobacco), we think that more needs to be known about what it is and how to prevent it.A look back in historyWe have come a long way from the
MoreMeet Dr. Mehtar: A Pediatrician who is helping children with asthma one breath at a time
What is asthma?Asthma is a chronic (life-long) disease that makes your lungs very sensitive and makes it hard to breathe. Asthma can’t be cured, but with proper treatment, people with asthma can lead normal, active lives.Why is it important for a child’s asthma to be managed?Asthma is the most common lung disease in children and one of the leading causes of school absences. Without access to
MoreCelebrating your favourite couple
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, we would like to celebrate one of our favourite couples. These are the left and right lung. They are not exactly the same, but they are vital complements to one another. These unassuming organs allow for our lives to be lived to the fullest. Sometimes, this power couple is challenged by the environment, chronic disease or addictions. While some things – like
MoreVapour Products: A Guide For Parents
There is an increasing trend in the use of vapour products among youth. Vaping is becoming more prominent among this demographic due to a wide range of convenient devices, appealing flavours and loosely regulated marketing. The 2017 Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drug Survey (CTADS) indicated that 23 per cent of Canadian youth, aged 15-19 years old, have tried e-cigarettes (vaping products). The
MoreGuest post by Dawn Dawson: A mom who knows too well that every breath matters
My name is Dawn Dawson and my son Zachary Dawson had asthma. He was diagnosed and hospitalized in Calgary at the childrens hospital at age 16 months. He had suffered since birth with coughing, a lot of puking of the ‘stuff’ from his lungs. Once he was diagnosed, we were able to provide a better quality of life for Zachary. We moved back to Saskatoon when Zachary was 2 years old. He took inhalers
MoreGuest post by Denise Trachsel: Living with Churg-Strauss Syndrome
I have a rare form of a vasculitis called Churg-Strauss Syndrome (CSS). CSS typically involves the lungs and newly-developed or worsening asthma can be a symptom. CSS causes eosinophilic inflammation of the small to medium blood vessels and can affect any area of the body.My course of the disease began decades prior to the vasculitic stage. I had a mild allergen-triggered asthma, rhinitis
MoreGuest post by Laura Harms: How Swallowing Problems Can Affect Breathing
When our son Ozzie was born in 2010 seven weeks early, we were told by our Neonatologist that Ozzie had an extremely rare congenital neurological disorder called Moebius Syndrome. Typically this syndrome is caused by underdevelopment or lack of cranial nerves VI and VII which are responsible for face movement, leaving those effected by the disorder with facial paralysis and lack of expression
MoreGuest post by Tara Johnson: Breathing isn’t always just about the lungs…
Elara was born on September 5th 2010, 10 weeks prematurely. Even though she was breathing on her own and doing well we were terrified. Things got even scarier when Elara suddenly went into cardiac arrest on September 8th. Elara was resuscitated and complex congenital heart defects were discovered. She had 5 heart defects all rolled into one. She was immediately placed on a ventilator and was
MoreSnapshot on Lung Cancer
My name is Danni Morhart, and I am a nursing student in my final year at the University of Saskatchewan. I wanted to write this blog to share with others because I have seen first-hand how devastating lung cancer is, as I lost both my mother and grandmother to the disease. Through my work at the Lung Association I have been able to access a great deal of credible information about lung cancer from
MoreRunning for the love of lungs
When Mike Irwin was 49 years old, he received shocking news that explained the difficulties he had breathing. His diagnosis of bronchiestasis in 2010 started a 5-year journey of lost breath, doctors’ visits and surgeries. “I just kept getting sicker and sicker and it was a struggle to get through the day. And nothing seemed to work. I had more than one bronchoscopy,” Mike said. Two years after his
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