Women and Asthma explores asthma through craft and stories to create bold, eye-catching experiences that deepen understanding and awareness.
Women and Asthma explores asthma through craft and stories to create bold, eye-catching experiences that deepen understanding and awareness.
About
Many people who experience asthma feel that their condition is invisible to those around them and the hidden threats in the air we breathe are not taken seriously.
We have formed a community of women affected by asthma (from Skelmersdale, Birmingham and Tower Hamlets) and asthma researchers from Imperial College London. Together we are exploring asthma, its impact on people’s lives and connected health inequalities.
We want to make asthma visible, so that it cannot be ignored or trivialised, and represent diverse people and voices, highlighting that asthma is a different story for everyone.
Did you know that women are twice
as likely to die of an asthma attack than men?
Women and Asthma uses the term ‘women’ in an inclusive way. We welcome the experiences of all who identify as women, including cis women, trans women, and non-binary people who feel connected to women’s experiences.
We recognise that gender and health are deeply personal and shaped by social, cultural, and biological factors. Our aim is to create a space where a wide range of voices and stories are heard, valued, and represented—particularly those that are often overlooked.
Our Story
The first part of Women and Asthma was the Makers Exchange, a programme of creative workshops to exchange stories and understanding about asthma and asthma research. The Makers Exchange was held in partnership with The Sewing Rooms (Skelmersdale), Craftspace (Birmingham) and Stitches in Time (Tower Hamlets)
We then ran a series of community craft workshops in partnership with local organisations and venues to build relationships and connections in Skelmersdale, Birmingham and Tower Hamlets.
We worked together to transform our collective stories into a multi-sensory immersive experience called Stories of Breath.
Over 550 people have engaged with Women and Asthma and Stories of Breath at workshops and events in Skelmersdale, Birmingham and Tower Hamlets.
Women and Asthma runs alongside a research project investigating the biological mechanisms of asthma, led by Professor Clare Lloyd and the Lloyd lab.
The creative producer of Women and Asthma is Ellen Dowell.
Articles and Blogs
Telling “stories of breath” to make asthma visible – The Lancet Respiratory Medicine
Stories of Breath comes to Skelmersdale – About the Town
Stories of Breath Depicted Through Art – Rotary Magazine
Stories of Breath Launched in Skelmersdale – Wigan Today
Stitching Stories and Crafting Connections: The Women and Asthma Project – Imperial College London
Skelmersdale Marked International Women’s Day in Style! – Wigan Today
Skelmersdale Women to Voice their Experiences with Asthma – About The Town
Evaluation
The Women and Asthma External Evaluation Report will be available to download here in spring 2026.
The Makers Exchange
The Makers exchange was a programme of creative workshops to exchange stories and understanding about asthma and asthma research.