to the Bermuda Asthma and Allergy Awareness Group (Bermuda) and the health promotion office of the Department of Health.

Dr. Paul Ehrlich, assistant attending physician at New York University Medical Center's department of paediatrics; associate chief of the clinical immunology and allergy division of Beth Israel Medical Center; and clinical assistant attending physician at Bellevue Hospital Center's department of paediatrics -- all in New York City, will address two special workshops on the management of asthma and allergies, including food allergies and eczema.

Joining him will be Ms Nancy Sanders, founder of several asthma-related organisations, including Mothers of Asthmatics, Inc. She has also written several books, magazine and newspaper articles on asthma, including A Parent's Guide to Asthma, So you have Asthma Too, and Consumer Update on Asthma.

The first workshop, which takes place next Tuesday, will be aimed at children with asthma and allergies and their parents.

Next Thursday another seminar will be for adults with asthma and allergies.

Also participating in these workshops will be local paediatrician Dr. June Hill; Dr. Edward Schultz, director of the King Edward Hospital's Emergency Department; and physiotherapist Mr. Andrew Cooper.

Both workshops will take place at the Cathedral Hall on Church Street, beginning at 7 p.m. Admission is free.

This is the second series of workshops organised by the local asthma support group. It is being conducted because of the overwhelming response to last year's event, which coincided with the Department of Health's Lung Month promotion.

"The hall holds 300 people and last year we were literally turning people away,'' Asthma and Allergy Awareness Group (Bermuda) founder, Mrs. Andrea Smith, said. "It was packed each night, which proves that people are crying out for help with what is a very common problem in Bermuda.

A soon-to-be opened special resource centre for asthmatics will make available such products as carpet sprays, an anti-allergy lotion to apply to pets, non-allergy pillow cases and mattress covers.

A voluntary support group, the Asthma and Allergy Awareness Group (Bermuda) formed after Dr. Hill made a chance remark.

"I started the group primarily for parents of asthmatics to educate them on how to deal their with children's problems,'' Mrs. Smith said. "But I found that adults were also calling me looking for help, so I was kind of pushed into having adults as well -- which is exactly the same thing that happened to our speaker, Nancy Sanders.'' The support group's aim is "to educate the public and teach them, through people like Ms Sanders and Dr. Ehrlich, that if asthma is managed you can lead a normal, unrestricted life,'' Mrs. Smith said.

The Allergy and Asthma Awareness Group (Bermuda) meets quarterly at the Queen Elizabeth Nurses' Residence in Paget. For further information telephone Mrs.

Andrea Smith at 293-0652.