Kimbra launches asthma awareness project with Melbourne show

Kimbra launched an education initiative by National Asthma Council Australia and Asthma Australia with a performance at Melbourne’s Federation Square today.

The New Zealand-born Grammy Award winner has personally suffered from asthma since childhood and has tied herself to the ‘Asthma: Take Control’ project to encourage fellow Australian sufferers to heed advice and take medicines recommended and prescribed by their healthcare professional.

“I’ve had asthma since I was very young and luckily it has improved gradually over the years,” Kimbra told TMN. “I still carry my inhaler with me everywhere though – even on stage, by my microphone stand!

“I can still get quite tight-chested if I get sick, which can be hard when I have performances to do but it has been really important for me to have good medical advice about using my inhalers properly and the time I may need to increase my treatment.”

Kimbra is the first musician to be involved with Asthma Australia and National Asthma Council Australia. The teaming follows research that shows 9 out of 10 Australians (between 70-90%) with asthma are not using their medication correctly.

“I don’t believe asthma has held me back at all with my singing,” Kimbra added, “but it definitely could have without the proper treatment and determination to stay on top of it!”

Kimbra’s acoustic performance at Federation Square took place at 8am this morning. The initiative is part of Asthma Awareness Week (1-7 September).

Kimbra’s sophomore LP The Golden Echo debuted at #5 on the ARIA chart last week.