Aaron Gilmore asks New Zealand to Dance 4 Asthma!

23 March 2012

Former Dancing with the Stars winner Aaron Gilmore asks New Zealand to Dance 4 Asthma!

Aaron, as Face of the Asthma Foundation, is putting his fast-feet behind the Asthma Foundation’s awareness and fundraising campaign - Dance 4 Asthma.

“I had asthma as a child and can remember having shortness of breath and the frustration that this brings, especially with doing anything physical like dancing” says Aaron.

The Dance 4 Asthma campaign is focusing on kids dancing to help the 600,000 kiwis with asthma. It is particularly relevant to our young people as in New Zealand 1 in 4 kids has asthma and these kids lose 550,000 school days every year. The Foundation encourages all young people to be active, and well, and dancing is something anyone can do that is fun!

Schools have two chances to win an iPad. By raising the most money and producing the most original video to Babysitters Circus “Everything’s gonna be alright’. These will be posted on youtube and Aaron and Tim Skedden (from Babysitters Circus) will judge the winner of the best Secondary, Intermediate and Primary School. Videos must be on You Tube by Friday, 27 April – so schools have got a whole month to get creative!

“This is the first time we have attempted a Dance 4 Asthma theme and we are excited about the opportunity to raise awareness around asthma in this way. We are keen for kids with asthma to have the same opportunity to reach their fullest potential as other children do. This is the message behind Dance 4 Asthma” says Angela Francis, Chief Executive of the Asthma Foundation.

While schools have been the main focus, the Asthma Foundation also encourages the public to get behind the campaign and help raise much needed funds to continue the Foundation’s good work. Have a work disco, come dressed as your favourite pop star, a night of karaoke, a hula dancing competition – it is an opportunity to do something a little outrageous.

Aaron asks New Zealand to get behind Dance 4 Asthma. “I’m lucky that I have two healthy kids but I know a lot of people who don’t. The Asthma Foundation gets no government funding and I feel that anything that limits kids needs some attention and my support”.

To register for Dance 4 Asthma email dance@asthmafoundation.org.nz or visit our website www.asthmafoundation.org.nz for more information.

Facts:

• One in six New Zealand adults and one in four of our children experience asthma symptoms. (Adding up to more than 600 000 Kiwis.)
• Asthma is the most common cause of admission to hospital for children.
• Hospitalisation rates for asthma have more than doubled in the past 30 years.
• Hospital admissions are twice as common for Maori as for non-­Maori.
• Studies have linked socio-­economic disadvantage with difficulty in accessing primary health care needs, leading to hospital admission for asthma.

About the Asthma Foundation

The Asthma Foundation is New Zealand’s not-­for-­profit sector authority on asthma and other respiratory illnesses.

We advocate to government and raise awareness of respiratory illnesses, fund research for better treatments and educate on best practice. We provide resources on our website and support our 17 affiliated Asthma Societies and Trusts in providing education, support and advice.

ENDS

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