18 February 2002

Winning Team Fights Asthma

photocall, 12 noon, Tuesday February 26, Liff Primary School, Liff, Angus. Please report to school reception on arrival.

The University of Dundee and Liff Primary School have combined to form a winning team in promoting asthma and allergy awareness.

The University's Asthma and Allergy Research Group has sponsored new strips for the school's football team, which carry the group's website address.

Those logging on to asthma-allergy-research.co.uk can gain access to information about coping with asthma and allergies and the work the research group is doing to combat them.

The site also contains information about the community-based allergy screening programme's mobile unit which visits medical centres in Tayside and Angus.

Professor Brian Lipworth, head of the Ninewells Hospital-based Asthma and Allergy Research Group, said, "We think it is appropriate that the strips of these young players should carry our web address since 1 in 5 kids have some sort of allergy-related disease during their childhood.

"We also hope to reinforce the message that all kids with asthma should be able to take part as normal in sport with other children."

Liff head teacher Mr Lee Walls said, "We are concerned about how asthma and allergies can affect children and are keen to help the Asthma and Allergy Research Group do all they can to raise awareness."

Professor Lipworth will be visiting Liff Primary on Tuesday February 26 to present the pupils with their strips.

Mr Walls can be contacted at Liff Primary on 01382 580203, or at the presentation on Tuesday.

Professor Lipworth can be contacted on 01382 344000.