A breath of fresh air for the Wisconsin Asthma Coalition

Written by Carissa Hoium

The Wisconsin Asthma Coalition (WAC) was thrilled to host our annual meeting in-person on Nov. 9-10, 2023 in Madison, WI. We chose the theme, “Reconnecting: A Breath of Fresh Air,” for this meeting. We wanted to dedicate this time together to sharing exciting asthma-related projects happening statewide, and reinvigorating everyone’s passion for what they do. (In-person meetings are no longer taken for granted after a global pandemic!)

On the evening of Nov. 9, 2023, a small group of WAC members gathered for an informal reception at the beautiful Livingston Inn. This was a wonderful opportunity to meet people face to face (especially those who we have only previously seen virtually), network and socialize. It was a great lead-in to the main event.

On Nov. 10, 2023, 49 people from across the state gathered at the Olbrich Botanical Gardens for a day of learning and growing. We ate together, heard from colleagues about asthma work happening statewide, learned from Dr. William Busse, explored the Wisconsin Asthma Plan in an interactive group activity and closed our day learning more about air pollution and asthma.

This was my first Wisconsin Asthma Coalition meeting since starting in my current position. I am incredibly grateful to everyone who helped plan, organize and implement the meeting.  I am also incredibly grateful to everyone who took time out of their busy schedules to attend. Finally, I was blown away by the reach and impact of the work that the presenters shared. Several attendees commented on how the meeting demonstrated just how connected everyone’s asthma work is across Wisconsin. In my eyes, that means we accomplished our mission for the day.

Become a WAC member
Want to join in on future WAC fun? We’d love to have you! Learn more about us and click here to become a member. The 2024 WAC meeting will be part of Children’s Health Alliance of Wisconsin’s (the Alliance) #ForKidsHealth Summit.

The #ForKidsHealth Summit will bring together all key initiatives at the Alliance to collectively join voices for kids with a focus on health equity. It will take place Oct. 7-8, in Brookfield. We look forward to seeing you there!