"Physical activities help me stay well" | Sudhan Rayan, 40

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Implementation Manager, Sudhan Rayan doesn’t let having asthma stop him from exercising.

"I was diagnosed when I was very young. As a child, I was hospitalised for asthma all the time. During school, I was bullied for being hospitalised frequently and started to smoke to prove that I wasn’t ‘weak.’ It was a vice that was really bad for my asthma."

Sudhan Rayan did not realise just how badly asthma could affect him until he reached the age of 30.

"It started with a cold. I became very ill at the time, but I kept putting off going to the GP because of work. Before I knew it, I wound up in the hospital due to a serious asthma attack. If only I had listened to my body initially, it might not have gotten so bad. It was a wake-up call. I managed to get back on the right track to control my asthma. At the age of 33, my friends encouraged me to join a marathon. Exercise is one of my triggers, especially running. However, it is entirely possible to maintain good physical health. When I go running, I make sure I have my reliever with me in a pouch under my T-shirt."

Rayan prefers to be in control of his asthma by using an asthma action plan and keeping spare inhalers with his sports and work equipment. While previously having skipped on using his inhalers, he now knows that regular inhaler usage and discipline is what really helps him.

"To those with asthma who want to start doing some exercise I would say, ‘yes, you can do it! Exercise is important for our overall health and can be done even with asthma. Having control over your symptoms is important, rather than letting them control you. It’s a process, but knowing your limitations and being patient with yourself is key, and soon enough you’ll be able to get back out there and enjoy the physical activities you like."

Real Life Asthma Stories Booklet

This asthma life story is part of a booklet of stories created for community engagement in Malaysia. Read all the stories in the booklet produced by the University of Malaya and Universiti Putra Malaysia, RESPIRE partner organisations in Malaysia.