Olli Auvinen, 74, has lived for years with COPD and asthma. Regular exercise and daily breathing training with the WellO2 device have given him more strength in everyday life and helped him find a better rhythm for his breathing. This is his story.
Many people living with a chronic illness know how easy it is to lose faith in their own ability to make a difference. When the illness seems to define everyday life, personal actions can feel insignificant – yet they may mean a great deal.
Routine that brought strength to everyday life
Olli Auvinen is a retired television journalist from Järvenpää, Finland. Having lived with COPD and asthma for a long time, he once believed that his condition couldn’t really change.
“For more than ten years, I thought the disease wouldn’t improve and that I’d just have to live with it. I was wrong,” Olli says.
At his latest doctor’s appointment, he received surprising news: his lung function test results had clearly improved. For example, his lung vital capacity (FVC) had improved by 30% in one year – contrary to the common belief that the disease inevitably progresses. “The doctor said that medication alone couldn’t explain the progress. I was astonished. Maybe everything I’d been doing really had helped?”
Years ago, after suffering several bouts of pneumonia that weakened him, Olli began to exercise regularly. “I started gently, walking in the forest and around town. These days, I walk about 3,500 to 4,500 steps a day.”
To support his breathing, he also does daily breathing exercises at home with the Finnish-developed WellO2 device, where warm steam and adjustable breathing resistance make the training pleasant. “The exercises have become part of my daily routine. They make me feel good – a bit like after exercise.”
Small steps can make a big difference
Olli feels that small choices in everyday life and regular breathing exercises have made all the difference.
“You can feel the results in both body and mind. When you have the energy to walk and breathe more calmly, it brings joy and confidence in what you do.”
He hopes there would be more discussion about the value of self-directed activity. “Doctors do important work and guide us patients as best they can. Still, it would be good to highlight that there are various ways to support your breathing and wellbeing – and that everyone can make a difference in their own daily life.”
Nowadays, Olli sees his condition differently. “I no longer think of it only as an obstacle. I’m happy about every small improvement and, above all, grateful that life continues at home, in my own rhythm.”
Olli’s story reminds us that taking care of one’s breathing is not only for those with an illness. Through small, consistent actions – movement, calm breathing, and daily routines – anyone can support their wellbeing naturally.
What is the WellO2 breathing training device?
WellO2 is a Finnish-developed steam breathing trainer that combines adjustable resistance breathing with gentle steam inhalation. Daily use supports natural breathing control, recovery, and overall wellbeing – without medication.
