Kerol, a 45-year-old mother of five, lives with severe stage-five chronic asthma, a condition that gradually forced her to give up the active lifestyle she once loved.
“Cycling 40km used to be normal for me,” she said. “But after being diagnosed with severe asthma, everything changed.”
At one point, she even sold all her sports equipment. “Today, my biggest achievement is being able to return to work and help support my family despite my health condition,” she told Bernama.
Her symptoms first appeared during pregnancy at age 31, when she began experiencing persistent coughing and shortness of breath. Like many people, she initially underestimated the condition.
“At the time, I simply bought a blue asthma inhaler from a pharmacy after asking friends for advice, without seeking medical consultation,” she recalled.
Although the inhaler brought temporary relief, the underlying condition continued to worsen over the years, particularly with each pregnancy.
Things became especially severe during her fifth and sixth pregnancies in 2021 and 2023. Kerol not only endured frequent asthma attacks that forced her to sleep sitting upright, but also faced several other health complications, including systemic lupus erythematosus.
“The most heartbreaking moment was losing my baby at 26 weeks while I was battling a severe asthma attack and blood clots in my lungs,” she shared.
Even daily surroundings became difficult to navigate. Perfume, cigarette smoke, weather changes and confined spaces could all trigger sudden attacks, making ordinary routines unpredictable and exhausting.
Kerol, who holds a nursing degree, underwent years of treatment involving multiple inhalers while also managing chronic sinusitis and slipped-disc problems.
In 2024, things finally began to shift. She started receiving tezepelumab, a biologic therapy designed for severe asthma patients whose condition can no longer be controlled with maximum inhaler treatment alone.
According to senior consultant pulmonologist and internal medicine specialist Dr Mohamed Faisal Hamid, the therapy works by regulating the immune system to reduce chronic airway inflammation. It is administered through monthly injections.
He noted that Kerol has shown positive progress since starting treatment at Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz UKM. The therapy, however, comes with a hefty price tag exceeding RM100,000 annually and must be done consistently under medical supervision.
Faisal stresseds that managing asthma involves more than medication alone: patients also need to identify personal triggers, maintain a healthy environment, and manage factors such as weight and diet to reduce flare-ups.
For Kerol, the treatment has brought back something she once feared she had lost permanently – a measure of normalcy.
And while she may no longer be scaling mountains or cycling across long distances, simply being able to work, move more comfortably, and spend time with her cherished family feels like a victory of its own.