News
Read articles and our latest media releases about our efforts
2024 Respiratory Achievers' Awards Winners
The Foundation's Respiratory Achievers’ Awards celebrate Kiwis living with lung conditions, recognising courage, resilience and achievement across asthma, COPD and other respiratory diseases.
Mums awarded for drive to end youth vaping in New Zealand
Vape-Free Kids NZ, a parent-led group tackling youth vaping harm, has been recognised with the Youth Anti-Vaping Champion award at the 2024 Respiratory Achievers’ Awards.
Tamariki well and thriving under care of respiratory nurse
Anne Webster, a respiratory nurse with Tu Kotahi Māori Asthma Trust, has spent 20 years supporting tamariki with asthma and was named Respiratory Educator at the 2024 awards.
From a hospital bed to the world stage
12-year-old Charleigh Skelton-Morris, living with asthma, has qualified for the Hip Hop World Championships while managing her condition, earning recognition at the 2024 Respiratory Achievers’ Awards.
Teen wins top sports award despite asthma struggles
14-year-old Dominique Maltby of Auckland, who has experienced severe asthma and ICU admission, won the Asthma (13–18 years old) Award at the 2024 Respiratory Achievers’ Awards.
Woman loses cousin to asthma, battles the disease herself every day
78-year-old Betty Blake, a retired paediatric nurse living with asthma and former carer for children with respiratory conditions, won the Adult Asthma Award at the 2024 Respiratory Achievers’ Awards.
Multiple surgeries for aspiring princess, 10, doesn’t hinder dreams
10-year-old Maddison-Grace Wilson (Maddi) of Tauranga, living with bronchiectasis and asthma, won the Cody Forbes Award for Courage at the 2024 Respiratory Achievers’ Awards.
Samoan teen’s love for rugby drove his focus on lung health
14-year-old Faamanatu Ofisa (Natu), living with severe bronchiectasis, won the Other Respiratory Conditions Award at the 2024 Respiratory Achievers’ Awards for his resilience and self-management.
‘A silent killer’ - call for ban of unflued gas heaters
Foundation NZ calls for a ban on unflued gas heaters, warning toxic indoor emissions worsen winter respiratory illness and drive preventable hospital admissions.
'It's pretty horrible seeing your child's lips turning blue' - mum recounts life-threatening asthma attack
11-year-old Jamie shares his near-fatal asthma attack as Foundation calls for better training and awareness to improve care for 700,000 Kiwis living with respiratory disease.
Ban vape stores near schools, not just cell phones in schools
New research shows vape outlets are within a 5-minute walk of schools, with Foundation warning easy access is driving youth uptake and calling for tighter Specialist Vape Retailer (SVR) restrictions.
‘Another nail in the coffin’ - study shows link between vaping and heart failure
As heart failure becomes more common in younger generations, one study has found a potential link between vaping and heart failure.