Anosmia Awareness Day

Thursday 27 February is Anosmia Awareness Day, a day which aims to raise awareness about ‘anosmia,’ the loss of the sense of smell.

Anosmia Awareness Day presents an opportunity for colleagues to acknowledge the importance of something most of us take for granted – our sense of smell – so we can better understand what it might be like to lose it.

Melton Mowbray postman of nine years, Adam Hawkins (pictured), was diagnosed with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD), also known as Samter’s Triad. Common symptoms for people with AERD include severe asthma, chronic sinus infections, allergic reactions to aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, and a loss of their sense of smell.

‘I had no sense of taste or smell for two years,’ said Adam. ‘Then in June last year, I had sinus surgery, which temporarily restored them. I’m lucky that I can now taste and smell things, but as AERD involves recurring nasal polyps, I know it’s inevitable that both senses could quickly disappear.

‘Many people aren’t so lucky. They lose their sense of taste and smell permanently due to an accident or they’re simply born that way. Imagine losing your sense of smell and never being able to smell your new-born baby for example, or the dew on a spring morning, or even your favourite meal.

‘All of us take our sense of smell for granted. It’s not something people take much notice of as they have never lived without it. Many people with olfactory loss disorders suffer in silence. Olfactory loss and constant breathing issues can lead to depression, weight issues and a lack of pleasure eating.’

Adam found that running, and in particular, distance running, helped him cope mentally with his condition. While fit, he had never run previously, and certainly not with the intensity he now brings to half marathons, ultra-marathons and Ironman triathlons.

Over the next three years, Adam will be undertaking a number of endurance challenges to raise awareness of AERDs and all olfactory loss disorders. He is also fundraising for Fifth Sense, a charity for people affected by smell and taste disorders.

‘Fifth Sense plays a leading role in educating society on the importance of these senses to our lives,’ said Adam. ‘Their aim is to raise better awareness of the serious consequences of smell and taste disorders and demonstrate the need for further research into such conditions and their treatment.’

Click here to watch the Fifth Sense video ‘Let’s talk smell and taste,’ a powerful statement of why the senses of smell and taste are so essential to our health and wellbeing.