 Children whose lives have been plagued by asthma are learning to breathe easy using pioneering treatment techniques. Lucy Morgan has spent the past 14 years of her short life suffering breathing difficulties, sleepless nights, fatigue and skin problems due to asthma. She has been in and out of hospital after countless asthma attacks and says she was almost guaranteed to collapse if she ever left home without her inhaler. But this week Lucy says her health has improved dramatically after she was the first child in the North-East to experience the revolutionary Buteyko therapy programme. Buteyko therapy was pioneered by Russian doctor Konstantin Buteyko in the 1950s and works on getting patients to breathe differently. Practitioners claim children who use Buteyko experience relief within the first 24 hours, and within four days will normally reduce their reliever medication by 90 per cent. Until now there have only been a handful of practitioners in the UK, but after six years of campaigning the treatment will now be offered in Newcastle. Former asthma sufferer Dennis Champion, of Whitley Bay has worked tirelessly to bring the programme to the region after using the Buteyko method. And after securing a £50,000 grant from the St James Place Foundation, he now plans to enrich the lives of hundreds of youngsters by offering free Buteyko courses. Lucy, 14, of Hebburn, was the first of 24 children in the North-East, and 120 in the country to be offered a free Buteyko course worth £275. Lucy, a pupil at St Joseph's Comprehensive School, in Hebburn, learned the breathing method in five, 90-minute sessions but says her breathing improved within 24 hours. She said: "At first the new breathing method was weird, but since the first day I learned I haven't even had to use my inhaler." After spending more than 36 years suffering from the symptoms of asthma, father-of-two Mr Champion decided to try the Buteyko method after watching his wife, Arleen die of brain cancer in November 2000. He said her death prompted him to seek help because she had not seen the real man he could have been without his breathing difficulties. He said: "I was so angry that she hadn't seen the real me because I always had chest infections. "At first I was cynical, but the Buteyko method changed my life." A further 10 children will this week experience the Buteyko treatment in Newcastle. Limited places for children in the region remain. For more information, call Mr Champion on (07891) 237069. Page 2: Over-breathing is key to problems | 
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