Umut Esmer

I am running the Berlin Half Marathon for ENO BREATHE

Fundraising for English National Opera
£3,113
raised of £5,000 target
Donations cannot currently be made to this page
Berlin Half Marathon, 3 April 2022
English National Opera

Verified by JustGiving

RCN 257210
We exist for everyone to create opera experiences & change lives

Story

I’m running the Berlin Half Marathon in support of ENO Breathe Programme!

What is ENO Breathe? 

ENO Breathe is a breathing and wellbeing programme developed for people like me, recovering from Covid-19, delivered by the English National Opera (ENO) in  partnership with Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. It helps people achieve some level of normality and cope with anxieties related to breathlessness using singing and breathing techniques. Last I heard, over 1,000 patients have benefited from this programme.

Nearly a year after contracting Covid-19, I still had breathing and breathing related issues. One of the biggest issues being the associated anxiety of where this was all going. After Covid-19, you don’t trust your body as you did before, and this hesitancy brings with it even more anxiety. Something had to help me break the loop...

Attending ENO Breathe programme helped me build the confidence to take small steps forward, as it furnished me with the tools to cope with breathlessness and anxiety, thanks to the breathing and calming exercises.

Not only was the loop broken, I also managed to—with their support—apply those learnings in my everyday life. From a few minutes on an exercise machine to running long distances today, those small steps have culminated in achieving my goal of running a half marathon. I am actually running the Berlin Half Marathon!

And now I would like to give back to the programme who has helped me and so many others.

I have committed to raise £5,000 to support ENO Breathe and I am asking if you would consider joining me in this effort. Your donations will go directly to fund ENO Breathe and allow this programme to reach many other long Covid-19 sufferers. 

Please do take a moment to read below more about ENO Breathe and its wonderful achievements 

To date, ENO Breathe has been funded by donations from ENO Supporters and Members and is welcoming further support. 

What has been achieved so far?

       1078 patients have completed or are currently completing the programme.

•       69 partnered NHS Post Covid services across England refer patients onto the programme.

Impact data: 
Data collected around self-perceived improvement showed that 

•        81% of participants said that their levels of breathlessness had improved by the end of the programme, with 87% of participants saying that ENO Breathe had a positive impact on their levels of breathlessness. 

•        74% of participants said their levels of anxiety were much better, or a bit better at the end of the programme. 80% said that ENO Breathe had a positive impact on their levels of anxiety.

•        93% of participants said ENO Breathe met their expectations.

ENO Breathe website: https://www.eno.org/eno-breathe/

ENO Breathe on ITV News: https://www.itv.com/news/2021-01-27/and-breathe-how-long-covid-sufferers-are-being-helped-by-a-breathing-programme-run-by-opera-singers

ENO Breathe is recipient of the Royal Philharmonic Society Impact Award 2021. 

Share this story

Help Umut Esmer

Sharing this page with your friends could help raise up to 3x more in donations

You can also help by sharing this link on

About the charity

English National Opera

Verified by JustGiving

RCN 257210
English National Opera exists for everyone, creating new experiences with opera that inspires, nurtures creativity and makes a difference. We take a fresh inspiring approach to opera to reflect the diversity of our culture. At ENO, we believe that opera is a living art form able to connect to people from all parts of our society. We collaborate with a range of artists and art forms to deliver different aspects of the repertoire, from baroque to contemporary, as well as commissioning new works as part of our commitment to the future of the art form.

Donation summary

Total raised
£3,112.36
+ £60.00 Gift Aid
Online donations
£3,112.36
Offline donations
£0.00

* Charities pay a small fee for our service. Find out how much it is and what we do for it.