From her early years growing up in the West Kootenays, British Columbia, to her current life in Vancouver, Charly Jarrett has lived with the challenges of asthma for most of her life. Despite this, her dedication to proper management through proactive approaches like medication and vaccinations has allowed her to find relief and improve her life.  

Diagnosis

Charly first began noticing symptoms of a respiratory complication in high school. She began frequently losing her voice – sometimes triggered by coughing fits, but other times without a clear reason. It wasn’t until after she developed pneumonia for the second time that doctors finally introduced the possibility of asthma. 

“They examined me and said ‘Well, this must be related to your asthma.’ When I then told them I had never been diagnosed with asthma, they were shocked.”   

Her diagnosis didn’t come until she was in university. Throughout high school, peers assumed she simply got sick more often than others or was dealing with extreme seasonal allergies. With no family history of asthma and growing up in a community where there was a lot of skepticism around medications and vaccines, her symptoms were often downplayed and misunderstood. This often left her feeling hopeless and uncertain. 

“I thought, ‘Is this just going to be the rest of my life? Getting really sick every year, at least once, with a respiratory infection?’ Having a piece of my life taken away every year was horrible.”  

Asthma Management

Following her diagnosis, Charly’s life changed after she was advised to introduce regular inhaler use. The cycle of yearly upper respiratory infections stopped and was replaced by a sense of control and relief. She recalls her experience developing COVID-19 in March 2020, and credits her ability to fight the illness to her medication regimen.  

“Having my medication, I think, is the only reason I didn’t end up in the hospital. I knew to use them consistently. It was the only thing keeping me together, I was super grateful to have it at that time.”  

Before developing COVID-19, Charly weighed 135 pounds but rapidly lost 30 during her illness, dropping to just 105 pounds at a height of 5’4”.  

“I was very sick, and I truly believe that my asthma medication kept me from getting much worse.” 

Over the next 18 months, she contracted COVID-19 two more times but felt much more prepared having kept a spare inhaler on hand. 

Alongside medication, Charly takes additional steps to reduce her risk of flare-ups. During outbreaks of easily transmittable illnesses, she limits the amount of time she spends in public spaces and wears a mask when she needs to go out. She’s especially careful when spending time with children. 

“My six-year-old nephew has to wash his hands a lot. He finds it annoying, but kids are little disease vectors. If I want to hang out with them, I have to be careful, because if they pass on an illness, it can escalate quickly for me.”  

Charly also notes that despite growing up in an area where the anti-vaccine sentiment is common, she herself is fully vaccinated, and understands the important role that they play in preventing complications for people with asthma and other chronic respiratory conditions.  

Social Challenges of Asthma

While Charly has found significant physical relief through her asthma management, she still often struggles with the social challenges of having asthma. She describes her experience as isolating and anxiety-inducing. 

“The continuous outbreaks after COVID have been incredibly isolating. I get anxious about the wildfire smoke. There’s a constant worry about normal daily activities, like seeing friends in the summer, going outside, being able to breathe.”  

These struggles are why Charly feels so passionate about speaking out on the impacts of living with asthma. Nobody should have to feel isolated or anxious because of their condition, yet asthma makes that feeling a daily reality for many. That is what makes Asthma Canada’s vision so important: A future without asthma. With the help of people like Charly, who is a monthly donor and is willing to share her story to help raise awareness, this vision can become a reality and improve the lives of anyone navigating similar challenges.  

If you have questions on managing your asthma and allergies during wildfire season, please contact our free HelpLine at 1-866-787-4050 or info@asthma.ca. Our team of asthma and allergy experts will happily assist you with your asthma control and help put your mind at ease.