Greenville Reporter

As of 2022, around 7.3% of children in North Carolina were reported to have asthma, according to data from the National Survey of Children’s Health. The symptoms of asthma, such as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and fatigue, can adversely affect school attendance and performance, as well as night-time rest, leading to long-term lung changes, and escalated emergency room visits. The condition places a particular strain on families in rural areas where access to specialized pediatric care is limited.

ECU Health’s Pediatric Asthma Program, with support from the Roanoke-Chowan Foundation Grant, is addressing these challenges. Established in 1995, the program operates in 29 counties across eastern North Carolina, including Bertie, Hertford, Gates, and Northampton. Emily Wood, a respiratory care manager with the program, provides asthma education, school-based support, and conducts essential medical tests and supply distribution in these regions.

"Transportation is a big issue in these areas," Wood stated, highlighting the transportation challenges families face when seeking medical care. She noted the shortage of local pediatric care, with recent retirements further straining resources. Virtual consultations, home visits, and school appointments have become vital components of the program to mitigate these barriers.

Sue Anne Pilgreen, manager of the Pediatric Asthma Program, commended Wood’s dedication, stating, "Emily knows this area, understands the patients’ unique needs and spends countless hours partnering with community stakeholders and fighting for the well-being of the patients and their families that she cares for."

The Roanoke-Chowan Foundation, established in 1997, has played a significant role in sustaining these initiatives. The foundation has awarded over $15.2 million through more than 100 grants to local organizations, including this year’s nearly $65,000 grant to the Pediatric Asthma Program. This funding supports Wood’s travels and the provision of crucial asthma supplies.

Wood emphasized the impact of the grant, saying, "The Foundation money eliminates barriers by allowing me to travel to patients’ homes, schools or meet with them virtually." Access to asthma supplies and preventive care reduces the reliance on emergency services and hospital visits. "There’s a high level of low income in this part of the state, and these are the patients who would otherwise fall through the cracks," Wood noted.

Pilgreen expressed the importance of the Roanoke-Chowan Foundation’s contribution: "These are some of our most rural areas, and having a dedicated respiratory care manager for those counties, and the funds to provide children with the supplies they need to better manage their symptoms, has been a game changer."