Strength training, obstacle racing and cycling is not nessecarily associated with lung diseases. But to the Norwegian elite athlete Karen Skålvoll, who suffers from the gene defect Alpha1, which causes disabling breathing difficulties, they are. Today Karen Skålvoll is joining Oslo Marathon’s «Three for all»-run along with 33 other lung patiens and 10 relatives.

- I have started Team Alpha-1 Athlete to put focus on how far lung patients can actually go with a healthy lifestyle and physical training. Together with my team I will be joining the innagural three kilometres today. We hope to give Oslo Marathon a new dimension, but we also hope to lead the way for other lung patients who want to change their lives in a more positive direction, says Karen Skålvoll.

On Satuday other of Team Alpha-1 Athlete’s supportive players will be joining many of  the run’s other distances.

Alpha1 is an hereditary disease in which the patient does not form enough of the protein alpha-1-antitrypsin in the liver. This lack causes symptoms such as breathing difficulties, air passage infections and coughs. In general a healthy and active lifestyle combined with a correct medical diagnosis and treatment of the disease is recommended.
 

Support from Philips

At Philips, who supports Karen Skålvoll, the endorsement of Karen is looked upon with great optimism.

- Karen Skålvoll is a prime example of how patients can increase their quality of life. In addition to conventional treatment Karen has made a number of active lifestyle choices which have made a positive difference in her life. At Philips we therefore fly the flag and hope that other lung patients can find a positive role model in Karen Skålvoll, says Lene Takelund, Country Manager SRC Philips Norway.

Karen Skålvoll is among other things using a Philips SimplyGO Mini oxygen concentration to ease her breathing disabilities.