Thanks to money raised by our supporters, children across our community now have access to new equipment that makes it easier for the hospital to test and diagnose breathing problems, including asthma, without the wait or the travel that used to come with it.
What the equipment does
The new equipment is used for a test called spirometry. It measures how much air a child can breathe out, and how quickly. It sounds technical, but for the child having it done, it’s simple and doesn’t hurt. What it gives the hospital’s clinical team is exactly what they need: clear, objective information about how well a child’s lungs are working, so they can assess, diagnose and monitor conditions like asthma with more confidence.
Why it matters
Asthma is the most common long-term breathing condition in children in the UK, affecting around one in eleven. It can be difficult to diagnose, particularly in younger children, and when it isn’t picked up or well managed, the results can be serious. Nationally, 54 children and young people died from asthma between 2019 and 2023, and most had needed emergency care in the year before their death (National Child Mortality Database, 2024). Locally, thousands of children in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough already have a recorded asthma diagnosis, and thousands more have been prescribed an inhaler.
What this means for families
The equipment is expected to help around 400 children and young people a year who need a lung-function assessment, delivered through the hospital’s Community Diagnostic Centres. The team is also working towards combining the breathing test with a nurse-led consultation in a single appointment, so families aren’t asked to come back twice. Fewer appointments means less disruption to school and less juggling for parents.
The hospital’s paediatric respiratory team told us:
“We are extremely grateful for the charity’s support. The funding has enabled us to expand our paediatric respiratory service and provide dedicated equipment that will make a real difference to how we assess and support children and young people in our local community.”
Allyson Broadhurst, Trustee of the Trust, said: “A child with breathing problems can now be tested, diagnosed and their care can be managed by this new Children and Young Persons Service at The Princess of Wales Hospital. That makes a real difference to a family’s life, and it is down to the generosity of people in our community.”
None of this happens without our donors. This equipment was funded through money raised by the Trust for the hospital’s paediatric respiratory service, and it’s already at work in clinics across the community.
Thank you for helping make this possible. If you’d like to support the next project we’re raising funds for, you can donate via our JustGiving page, or keep an eye on our updates here.