illustration of man with inhaler looking toward city skylineShare on Pinterest
Illustration by Brittany England

Asthma affects more than 26 million Americans. Learning to manage it makes a difference, but asthma never goes away completely. It’s a lifelong condition. 

When you live with something for most of your life, it’s important to talk about it. That’s why Healthline and the American Lung Association brought people together for a storytelling workshop to share their experiences with asthma.

Coached by pro storyteller Adam Wade, these thoughtful storytellers described experiences woven together by common threads: The acute stress of an asthma attack. The road to diagnosis. The panic and often embarrassment storytellers felt as they struggled to breathe. 

Every storyteller talked about moving through the world with their inhalers always on hand, a constant reminder that asthma is always with you. 

Here, we present their stories.