Christchurch woman takes out national respiratory award

Christchurch woman takes out national respiratory award

An inspirational Canterbury woman has taken out a national respiratory award.

Christchurch grandmother Pauline Mohi was presented with a Respiratory Achievers Award at the New Zealand Respiratory Awards, held Friday 15 April at Te Papa Wellington.

Pauline has Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), a lung condition that causes shortness of breath and coughing.

Community Respiratory Nurse Louise Weatherall says Pauline has been a role model for living a full life despite the respiratory condition ever since she was diagnosed with it 25 years after giving up smoking.

“She not only actively manages her COPD, but also plays an active role in influencing respiratory health programmes in Canterbury, and supporting others with the condition.

When Pauline was diagnosed, she participated in one of our free Community Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programmes.She’s now dedicated herself to supporting others with COPD, Louise says.

In Canterbury, consumers play an important role in the transformation of health services and this award not only recognises Pauline's commitment to living a full life despite her COPD, but also her impact on respiratory health services in Canterbury.

Pauline is Chair of the Canterbury Community Pulmonary Rehabilitation Consumer Group, a group dedicated to supporting people with respiratory conditions and influencing respiratory health services in Canterbury.

She regularly shares her story at pulmonary rehabilitation programmes and is known to keep in regular contact with programme participants to ensure they feel supported and encouraged to continue.

“You'll often see Pauline at events with her big bag of information she's collected from different health services to support others with similar respiratory conditions,” Louise added.

Pauline manages her condition by keeping active through a variety of classes including exercise, tai chi, walking and gym class.

“Lots of normal everyday things are an effort, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t do them and that you shouldn’t do them,” Pauline said.

The Respiratory Awards acknowledge and celebrate New Zealanders with respiratory conditions who achieve great success in their lives despite the challenges.

Read more of Pauline’s story: http://ccn.health.nz/NewsStories/tabid/1273/ArticleID/932/Canterbury-woman-takes-out-national-respiratory-award.aspx

Read more about the other very worthy award recipients on the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ website: https://www.asthmafoundation.org.nz/news-events/2016/new-zealand-respiratory-awards-2016

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