‘Valentine’s ethos for living your healthiest life – with Asthma’

As the article reads:

The pandemic has forced us all to be more resilient and resourceful, and for Valentine Mirzayantz (OW2019), this was a call to turn her chronic illness around, find her passion and build a business.

A chronic asthma sufferer with anaphylaxis and multiple food allergies, the inspiring 19-year-old spent much of 2020 focusing on her health and wellness.

‘I began university in 2020 at Monash, soon deferring due to the constant lockdowns,’ she says, ‘And after yet another hospitalisation due to my asthma, l decided that l would use 2020 to take stock of my health.’

She approached her wellness journey as a full-time job, committing herself to a comprehensive holistic approach of Chinese medicine, intensive treatments of acupuncture, a diet overhaul and specific exercises to strengthen her lungs, mind and body. In six months, she had ‘conquered’ her asthma to a much more manageable level and found her attacks becoming rarer instead of daily. Finally, after over a decade on steroid medication, she was able to reduce her dependency and replace this medication with holistic Chinese herbal medicine in the form of ‘teas.’

‘I had rebuilt my weak immune system,’ she says, ‘regaining my health and energy made me realise I was finally well enough to lay the foundation for my future and help others on their own healing journey. I started my business to not only make elegant asthma and allergy accessories but to inspire other asthmatics to live their life as (what l like to call my ‘new’ life) a healthy life – with asthma’.

Valentine took the step to launch her online business, THE ASTHMA COLLECTIVE (tac.), in June this year. Her boutique collection stocks 18k gold Medical ID Jewellery and a core range of luxury vegan asthma ‘SKINS’ (cases) and ZIP POUCHES to hold Ventolins or other asthma puffers, allowing them to be close at hand when you need them. The cases can be clipped as an accessory onto schoolbags or any other type of bag.