Blog post #31 Good for the lungs… and the soul

• In this post Kirsty shares her experiences of participating in a Harmonica for Lung Health class run by Asthma + Lung UK.
• Kirsty talks about the enjoyment of being part of a group, but also the joys that come from learning an instrument.
• Kirsty reflects on what improvements to breathing, and playing, can mean in the context of respiratory loss and progressive conditions.

I’m not a musical person. I like music, as we all do (Spice Girls, P!nk, Wham!... showing my age there a bit…), but I’m not someone who has ever really played a musical instrument properly. I had an early interest in percussion, and played the drums for 8 years as a child, but that has been the extent of it!

Inspired by our Community Researcher Amanda Jones, who recently shared her experiences of participating in a respiratory singing group with a focus on wellness on this blog, I felt encouraged when I came across a free Harmonica for Lung Health class run by Asthma + Lung UK. I was more than a little reluctant at first. As someone living with a chronic respiratory condition, what if I couldn’t do it? What if my lack of breath was too disruptive? What symptoms might it bring on: dizziness, headaches, more tiredness? Would I embarrass myself? Suffice to say, regardless, I took the leap. 

The group takes place on Zoom, with around 15-20 people with a wide range of lung conditions coming together to learn and play. There’s something really powerful about being with others experiencing similar things to you - a strong sense of solidarity and embodied understanding (see Liddiard et al. 2022). Lessons are paced in a way for us all to learn together, take breaks when we need it, and progress slowly. We’ve gone from learning how to blow and draw; playing one note songs (with Chris often accompanying us on the guitar, which is always my favourite); to now learning chords and even playing the blues! 

Our teacher, Chris Startup, is fantastic. Chris is a multi-instrumentalist and composer who also fronts the super FolkBeat outfit King’s Gambit. Chris has taught music for a long time, but began working with people with a range of different chronic respiratory illnesses such as COPD, Bronchiectasis, Asthma and Emphysema in 2017. His enthusiasm for music and sound is infectious; his kindness comes in abundance; and his skill at teaching people who experience a range of difficulties with breath is impressive.

While I’ve experienced some really positive respiratory benefits of playing the harmonica (see Lewis et al. 2022), what I’ve been really surprised at is how much joy it brings. I look forward to the sessions, enjoy practicing outside of them, and playing always leaves me smiling. Having the opportunity to learn a musical instrument is good for the soul. I get a real sense of euphoria in the sessions when we all play together with Chris’s accompaniment.

Going back to those respiratory benefits, however, from sessions one to six I’ve found my playing has improved: I can hold notes for longer; draw with more power; and play faster. This is all important breath work. In the context of a chronic respiratory condition, which for many can often be progressive and worsen over time, this ‘gain’ is really significant - emotionally, physically and practically (see Joseph et al. 2026). This highlights the importance of recognising the everyday benefits of what charities can offer to people living with disability and chronic illness.

Notably, Asthma + Lung UK are only able to offer sessions for free to people with respiratory conditions thanks to funding. Asthma + Lung UK is funded primarily through voluntary donations, fundraising events, gifts in wills, and corporate partnerships. As a registered charity, it does not receive core government funding to run its day-to-day operations, helpline, or research grants. Thus, this shows how integral charitable fundraising is in the current economic climate towards supporting patients and people, but also how much the charity sector holds an integral role in the support landscape. 

So, a big thank you to Asthma + Lung UK and Chris for such an incredible experience. To learn more about Harmonica for Lung Health, see here. 

References

Joseph, G., Atkinson, L., Hale, J. and Liddiard, K. (2026) “Instruction manuals for breathing”: Measuring respiration through text and image. In  L. Skof and M. Górska (eds) Handbook of Critical Respiratory Studies: Breath and Air in Humanities and Social Sciences. Springer: Switzerland

Lewis, A., Conway, J., Middleton, J., Startup, C.K. and Wyatt, J. (2022) ‘Playing the harmonica with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. A qualitative study’, Chronic Respiratory Disease, 19, 1–9

Liddiard, K., Goodley, D., Runswick-Cole, K., Whitney, S., Vogelmann, E., Watts, L., Aimes, C., Evans, K. and Spurr, R. (2022) Living Life to the Fullest: Disability, Youth and Voice. Bingley: Emerald Publishing