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

I started my asthma journey about 2 years ago as a pediatric asthma Community Health Worker through the Urban Health Initiative at UChicago Medicine. In this role, I was able to assist approximately 30 families with providing resources, home visits, medication adherence, and bridging the gap of understanding between the clinical care team and the patient's family.

In November of 2023, my asthma journey continued as Asthma Outreach and Education Coordinator, where I am able to use my experience as a Community Health Worker to train faculties, staffs, and parents on how to care and respond to pediatric asthma patients in their spaces. Challenges in my journey have been completely situational, different families, different patients, and different circumstances. However, the combination of clear communication and persistence makes combating challenges pretty easily.

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

I had a patient who came into the emergency department with difficulty breathing following a trip with their father to the park. Both parents where extremely confused as to where there symptoms where coming from, which made them weary as to how they can avoid breathing problems in the future. As a Community Health Worker at the time, I scheduled them with pulmonary, knowing that is the best first step for getting their questions answered. After the creation of an asthma action plan and an inhaler prescription, the parents felt prepared, until the patient was sent to the emergency room again with the same symptoms.

During a home visit, we decided to sit and gather as much information as possible to attempt to connect the dots together. Answering all the "What?" "Where?" "Why?" and "How?" questions. After about an hour, things became clear. When the patient is experiencing asthma symptoms the father is always present, they are always doing an activity outdoors, and the biggest common denominator of them all is that the father's dog was always present. Knowing that animal dander can be a trigger to asthma, I suggested the parents get an allergy test done to cancel out the possibility of the dog being a factor to the patients' asthma attacks.

With the help of an amazing clinical care team and cooperating parents, the allergy test was able to conclude that the patient was highly allergic to dogs and very well could've been the trigger to the patient emergency room visits. Following these results, the parents and myself were able to create a game plan which included the build of an outdoor dog sanctuary for the dog to live full time, when the patient visits the fathers home.

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

When you realize that your job has value, it makes all the strenuous tasks worth it.

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

My biggest form of supports is my entire Urban Health Initiative family, who allow me to ask questions and are willing to brainstorm with me at any time of the day. Collaboration can make the weight of your job lighter when all hands are on deck.

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

The best advice that I could give is to always ask for help, because nobody has all the answers. Ask as many doctors, pulmonologists, allergists, nurses, and community health workers as many questions as you need to in order to get a hold of your health. YOU are the priority.