It fits in your pocket, sound comes out and for some people it is a medicine against shortness of breath. The harmonica is used in Assen during music lessons to specifically train the lungs.
Seven people came together this morning in the Maasstee district building in the Pittelo district in Assen for harmonicales. Normally they are with about twelve, but a few people have to be absent because of a bacterium in the lungs.
And unfortunately that happens more often at this club. “Normally when you are healthy, you have 100 percent lung function,” says Bert Daalder. “But some here have only 30 or 40 percent.”
Bert COPD himself has. That is a lung disease where the lungs are damaged. This creates anxiety. And strangely enough, playing on harmonica can help with such complaints.
Daalder: “With harmonica you have to blow and overtake air and that is the training that is good for your lung muscles.”
The club was founded almost ten years ago with the help of the Longfonds. Participants are often referred by their doctor and end up in Assen. Including Hilly van der Hoek, who drives special to Assen every week from Hoogeveen.
“I have asthma, but the nice thing about this group is that everyone is bothered by their lungs. You don’t judge, because everyone has the same. They are actually fellow sufferers.”
Recently, the harmonica Club Assen received help from Stichting Stimules Liveability Assen. Through a gift they can continue with the lessons in the Maasstee. To the great pleasure of Bert. “If we didn’t have had that, we would probably have stopped. And it is also a social club. It is very nice and that is also important.”
But he also continues to practice with the Mondharp every week for his health. “I personally do not notice that I will breathe much better through it, but it doesn’t get much worse either. So it might maintain the lung function. And I think that is an advantage.”