“As scary as asthma is, it doesn’t have to stop you”.
This is the advice from 14-year-old Dominique Maltby, who has had many first-hand experiences of life-threatening asthma attacks.
Dominique, of Auckland, love sports – anything from rippa rugby, to athletics, netball, and badminton.
Recently, her school named her the ‘Year 8 Sports Girl of the Year 2023’ – an award she was beyond excited to receive.
“I was so proud of myself because the year before I was in hospital with asthma.
“I was in ICU at Starship, because I had pneumonia and my lungs weren't responding to treatment at first,” she says.
“I was really scared and tired and overwhelmed because I was getting worse before I got better.
“It took months to get my strength and fitness back.”
Two years on, Dominque feels she has better control of her asthma, which allows her to “fully participate in my everyday sports and activities without it getting too dangerous”.
She wants other kids to know that if you look after your lungs, you can achieve anything, she says.
“It's really great to know kids can do anything even with asthma, and even as scary as asthma is, it doesn't have to stop you.”
Dominique was acknowledged at the 2024 Respiratory Achievers’ Awards on Thursday, winning the Asthma (13 - 18 years old) Award.
