Breathe Easy, Play Hard: Empowering Young Athletes with Asthma to Thrive in Sport

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In this heartfelt and inspiring episode of Up Up and Away, hosts Dom Burch and Saira Arif launch the Breathe Easy, Play Hard campaign, dedicated to empowering young athletes with asthma. 

Sparked by the untimely passing of Saira's close friend Brendt Barrett, a strength coach who lived with asthma and sadly died of cancer, the campaign encourages open conversations between young athletes and their coaches about managing asthma both on and off the pitch.

Dom and Saira explore why asthma is often a hidden condition in sports and emphasise the importance of normalising it in sporting conversations. They discuss the emotional and physical challenges young athletes face and highlight how even small adjustments—like taking time to use an inhaler—can be the difference between fear and freedom in sports.

They shine a spotlight on the vital role coaches and PE teachers play in creating inclusive, supportive environments and introduce the Digital Health Passport, a free app to help athletes track symptoms and take control of their condition. The duo call for collaboration with schools, sports clubs, and parents—especially in South East London—to join the movement, reduce stigma, and ensure no child is sidelined by asthma.

Saira shares personal insights about navigating asthma in Dubai’s unique environment, from sandstorms to air-conditioned buildings, underscoring the importance of being alert to global and personal triggers.

This episode is not just a tribute to Brendt and the work that he did, but a call to action—inviting listeners to share their stories and help shift the narrative so that asthma becomes a part of the sports conversation, not a barrier to success.