Issue 4: Meet our new Steering Committee Participant Members

26th October 2022

In the previous issue of the ENO Breathe Participant Newsletter, we shared with you that we had just welcomed three wonderful new participant members to our ENO Breathe Participant Steering Committee. This month, they have kindly agreed to introduce themselves to the ENO Breathe community, sharing their experiences and perspectives.

Femke van der Veer:

I was one of the ‘Covid first wavers’; I got ill in March 2020 and have been dealing with Long Covid since. I have been experiencing a large variety of the Long Covid symptoms menu, with fatigue, heart, lung and brain problems the toughest ones.

ENO Breathe has been a real highlight in this long marathon process full of ups and downs. I discovered that I love singing (I was always made to mime in school choirs) and how much the singing as well as the different exercises helped my breathing. Seeing other participants on the screen gave me a real sense of community, not being the only one dealing with this lonely Long Covid process. I also loved Suzi’s positivity, sense of fun and wonderfully soothing voice, I sometimes still imagine her as a guardian angel sitting on my shoulder, telling me to do a lion or mouse face!

I applied to the Steering Committee role because I want to help ENO Breathe thrive and grow. It has made such a positive impact on my own health and wellbeing, that I would like many more people benefit from this wonderful programme! With my background in Design Thinking I hope to bring constructive creativity and future focus to the table.

What I love about the ENO Breathe Steering Commitee, is that it brings together people from very different fields (opera, arts, medical and psychological sciences, research, education, management etc) in a very welcoming and constructive setting, driven by the same purpose: we all want ENO Breathe to be successful in helping many more people who are dealing with Long Covid to feel and get better.

Stefan Zene:

Hello! My name is Stefan, and it’s my pleasure to be joining the Steering Committee as one of the three new past participant voices. I’m a jazz saxophonist finishing my studies at conservatoire in London, having been forced to change my degree to composition when my Long Covid symptoms began two years ago.

After having only started in this position very recently, it quickly became incredibly clear just how special the whole team behind ENO Breathe are – there is a striking, warm atmosphere of unanimous passion in bringing this groundbreaking help to as many people as possible; I’m honoured to have been trusted with this role alongside such wonderful people.

Ali Carre:

I joined ENO Breathe in March 2021. It was the only thing that gave me hope and made a difference after I was infected in March 2020. During my six week group I badly fractured my leg, but appreciated ENO Breathe so much I did at least one class from my hospital bed! I have underlying health conditions and am unlucky enough to have had Covid five times now. However, my breathing exercises have sustained me throughout and although I get the same symptoms, I can maintain good air entry, which makes a huge difference.

I believe wholeheartedly in ENO Breathe, still attend the Twilight sessions a year and a half later, and am very happy to be a new participant member on the steering group. I want to give back to ENO Breathe for all that it has given me.

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