Faisil, age 33, was diagnosed with asthma at age 3. He is British Pakistani, single and works as a civil servant. Faisil's childhood and teenage years were difficult because having the condition sometimes set him apart from the other boys, particularly because he was unable to participate in sports. As an adult he has become more accepting of the condition and is able to self -manage his symptoms for most of the time, but there are aspects of having asthma that continue to impact negatively on his life.

Melissa, age 37, was diagnosed with asthma at age 16. She is white British, and lives with her partner and two children who both also have asthma. Melissa remembers always feeling breathless and wheezy. At first she was upset by being diagnosed with a chronic condition and knowing that she would have to take regular medication, and as a young person feels she wasn't very vigilant about using her inhalers, but as she has become older she feels more accepting of her condition, and more confident in her ability to self-manage things.

Val, age 62, was diagnosed with asthma at 57 although looking back she now feels that she may have had it for a few years before that. She is white British and married with three adult step children. She is a self-employed researcher and lecturer. Val was surprised to find that asthma can start later in life, especially because she has always been very fit and healthy. She initially put her symptoms down to getting older.