Maksim fights for his right to breathe clean air
Maksim has asthma and was only nine years old when he first started campaigning for every child’s right to breathe clean air. He first got involved when his mum Julia helped to launch a successful battle to prevent the local council from building a car park next to his primary school in Manchester City Centre. Now 14, he is one of Asthma + Lung UK’s most dedicated campaigners. Here he tells us about his journey to joining the fight for clean air.
An amazing opportunity to take our fight for clean air to MPs
Maksim meeting Lucy Powell MP
When I heard that I was going to have the chance to go to the House of Commons I was a bit nervous, but really excited. My portrait had been taken for Asthma + Lung UK’s This is Life + Breath photography exhibition. This event has been an amazing opportunity to talk directly to MPs, including my own MP Lucy Powell who was keen to meet with me again to talk more about our campaign.
I live next to one of the most polluted roads in the UK. Fighting for clean air is important because exposure to air pollution as a child can increase the risk of developing asthma and other lung conditions.
It feels like being part of this exhibition sums up everything that my mum and I have been working towards over the last five years. It’s really cool to think that the clean air campaign has grown so much that we have now taken it to the House of Commons.
My first asthma attack
My first asthma attack happened when I was seven and it was completely unexpected. No one else in my family has asthma and I hadn’t had any breathing problems before.
I don’t remember much about it because I was so young – just that I had to go to hospital and that’s when I was diagnosed with asthma. At that age, I don’t think I really understood how asthma would affect my life.
I had another asthma attack when I was in Year 6 though and I definitely remember that one. We were playing a game in PE. I was doing a lot of running around, but as soon as I stopped and sat down my chest slowly started to tighten. It was really hard to breathe and I realised that I was having an asthma attack.
When I used my reliever inhaler I could instantly feel my chest opening up and I was able to breathe a lot better afterwards. That’s when it really hit me that asthma can be dangerous. If I hadn’t had my reliever inhaler with me that time it could have been a lot worse. Now I take my reliever inhaler with me everywhere.
Growing up in toxic air made my breathing worse
I’ve grown up in a flat in the centre of Manchester. When I walk next to a road with heavy traffic I notice that it’s a lot harder for me to breathe. Sometimes, if the air pollution is really bad, I just have to get off that road and take a different route.
I am the first person in my family to have asthma and I have grown up in the city centre, so I do think that toxic air could be one of the causes.
I don’t think people realise that lots of children are living in areas with such high levels of air pollution and how much it can affect their health. Toxic air can stunt the growth of children’s lungs and cause lots of other health problems.
The Government and local authorities really need to think about this new generation growing up in all of this air pollution and try to bring it down to safer levels.
Maksim campaigning for Trees Not Cars
Getting into campaigning was really exciting
I got into campaigning through my mum’s work on the Trees Not Cars petition to stop a car park being built next to my primary school. Then we were invited by Asthma + Lung UK to attend the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) to speak about our campaign.
It was a really exciting experience. Seeing how much effort my mum was putting into campaigning just made me want to do the same and make her proud of me.
Since then, I’ve spoken at other clean air events for Asthma + Lung UK and now my portrait is part of this photography exhibition.
I love going to events like these because it’s really inspiring to see so many people from all different ages, groups and parts of the UK getting involved in the campaign for clean air.
To see Maksim’s portrait and read more about of other supporter’s inspiring campaigning stories, visit our website.
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