This year World Asthma Day is Tuesday 5 May and to mark it a funddraising week called 'Putting asthma in the limelight' has been launched. The aim is to raise money to support over a million children with asthma, particularly those who miss out or feel excluded by their asthma.

Why? 11 year old Lloyd tells us: ‘I hate my asthma, I can’t play sport with my friends and when I’m poorly my medicine makes me shake and I’m scared that like the people on TV, I will die in hospital.’

We know that:

• Asthma is the most common long-term childhood condition in the UK

• One in eleven children are affected and can miss substantial amounts of school because of the condition

• A child is admitted to hospital every16 minutes in the UK

You can you help children like Lloyd by supporting our fundraising week by raising money towards projects like our life-changing Kick Asthma holidays which empower children with severe asthma to take control of their condition and give them back their confidence.

The fundraising week runs from 2-10 May and it would be great if you could get involved and support it. Take a look at some fundraising ideas to help get you started but if you need any further help coming up with fundraising ideas or would like more information call the fundraising team on 020 7786 4996 or email limelight@asthma.org.uk

Other ways your money will help:

• Educating teachers about asthma by taking part in our Alert to Asthma sessions which train early years carers and primary school teachers

• Paying for Asthma Nurse Specialists to staff the Adviceline and advise parents how to support children with asthma

Limelight will also be highlighting the need for better support for children with asthma in parliaments across the UK on World Asthma Day and will be issuing a report highlighting what children say about their experiences of missing out and being excluded because of their asthma.