Breathing on Borrowed Inhalers

Obamacare Got Me on Medi-Cal, But Getting Treatment for My Asthma Was a Struggle

In the spring of 2013, I lost my job at a law firm. The job came with medical benefits I needed. And I wasn’t sure exactly what to do.

I grew up in Grand Terrace in San Bernardino County and have been working since I was 16 years old, often in customer service jobs. I’ve had my ups and downs at work and in life, particularly since the big recession hit. I moved back in with my parents, who live in Riverside, in 2010. But I never much worried about …

Can the Free Market Cure Asthma?

A Group in Fresno Looks to Make Money While Helping Kids Breathe

Is there a profit to be found in reducing children’s asthma attacks? A diverse team of public health advocates, asthma care providers, financiers, and foundations has set up a pilot …

Hello, Asthma, My Old Friend

Growing Up in Fresno, Where There’s No Such Thing As a Good-Air Day

I don’t remember learning the word “asthma”–any more than I remember learning the words “pizza” or “dog.” In Fresno, California, where I was born in 1989, all those terms were …

When Asthma Kills

Anthony Shadid’s Death Is a Reminder Of a Health Problem That’s Better Managed-And Yet More Deadly

Two thousand years ago, the Roman philosopher Seneca described the symptoms of asthma. An acute attack of the condition, although usually brief, was worse, he insisted, than any other disease …