World Asthma Day takes place on the first Tuesday in May. People with asthma and organizations dedicated to asthma control and education join together to increase awareness about asthma and improve the lives of all people with asthma. Click here to learn how you can use the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Asthma Awareness Month Toolkit to take control of and raise awareness about asthma.
The first World Asthma Day, in 1998, was celebrated in more than 35 countries in conjunction with the first World Asthma Meeting held in Barcelona, Spain. Participation has increased with each World Asthma Day held since then, and the day has become one of the world’s most important asthma awareness and education events.
The CDC reports that asthma affects over 24 million people living in the United States, including more than 6 million children. It causes 3 in 5 people living with asthma to limit their physical activity or miss days at school and work. Asthma is also expensive, costing the nation $56 billion each year. According to the World Health Organization 235 million people suffer from asthma, and asthma is the most common chronic disease among children.
