Each and every attack, including asthma, has the potential to be highly dangerous to one’s life.
It is a sharp reminder of this fact that Ryan Gibbons, who was just 12 years old, passed away unexpectedly and tragically.
Ryan, a young lad with a lot of energy who enjoyed riding motorcycles and going on hikes in the woods, would soon lose his life as a result of a mistake that would prove to be fatal.
At school in 2012, he experienced an asthma attack that lasted for several minutes.
At the beginning of the episode, he actually had the ability to utilize his inhaler, but the gadget that may have saved his life was taken away from him.
Exactly like any other day, Ryan Gibbons, who was 12 years old and in the seventh grade, went to school on October 9th.
But on that particular day, he would not come back to his house. As a result of Ryan’s inability to access his rescue medication, which was locked in the school office, he experienced an asthma attack while playing soccer at school.
The inhaler was necessary for the youngster who was in pain because it opened his airways and made it possible for him to breathe.
Ryan’s backup inhalers were regularly taken away from him according to the school’s policy, which required the inhalers to be kept secured in the principal’s office.
During the incident, Ryan’s buddies attempted to pull him to the office, but they were unable to reach the inhaler in time. Ryan was unable to make it to the office.
Ryan lost consciousness and was never brought back to life.
Elgin Country School, located in Ontario, Canada, was the site of the tragic event that rattled the entire nation.
It became apparent, following an investigation, that Ryan’s school did not permit him to have his puffer with him, despite the fact that his mother had made numerous attempts and that a note from his physician had been taken into consideration.
Apparently, Ryan would frequently bring an additional inhaler to school in order to circumvent this requirement, as stated by his mother, Sandra Gibbons.
It is not always possible to foresee when an asthma attack will occur, and it is risky to keep the inhaler locked in a room.
However, the school continued to take Ryan’s additional inhaler away from him.
The school contacted Ryan’s mother on multiple times, requesting that she pick up an inhaler that Ryan had brought to school. Ryan took the inhaler with him to school.
It was forbidden for him to bring it back to his house.
This is what Sandra Gibbons said in an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC): “You would give him an inhaler, but then he would get caught with the inhaler, and then it would be taken away.”
Then I would receive a call on the phone. Because of this, it was actually quite aggravating. I was unable to comprehend the reason. My ignorance led me to believe that the policy actually required the medication that was prescribed to be present in the office.
It is a fortunate circumstance that Ryan’s tragic death was not in vain.
His mother has made a solemn vow, ever since Ryan’s passing, to do everything in her power to ensure that no other family ever has to go through what she did.
Sandra Gibbons initiated a petition following the burial, in which she requested that the government of Ontario compel school boards to implement standardized asthma management programs. She also urged all three parties to support a private member’s bill that was proposed by Progressive Conservative Jeff Yurek.
In an interview with Allergic Living, Gibbons stated that the passing of Ryan was “like losing everything that I lived for.” As I was burying my son, I became aware that this was an attack that could have been avoided. My opinion is that he would be here today if people had the appropriate training and were aware of what to look for when a child was in distress.
The goal of Sandra’s campaign was to change the laws that prevent children with asthma from being able to carry their life-saving instruments.
In a short amount of time, the results of her conscious struggle would be achieved.
Bill 135, also known as Ryan’s Law, has been approved by the legislature for the first time with support from all parties.
The law mandates that schools must permit children to carry their inhalers in their pockets or backpacks as long as they have a note from their physician present.
Sandra Gibbons expressed her happiness by saying, “I am definitely overwhelmed, very emotional, and very happy that everything is going to be implemented.”
“It is essential that children with asthma have ready access to potentially life-saving asthma medications while they are at school,” said Dr. Rob Oliphant, president of the Asthma Society, who also expressed his approval of the bill’s passage.
According to the laws that are currently in effect in each and every state in the United States, students are permitted to carry their asthma inhalers with them at all times.
On the other hand, there are still some children who are not allowed to administer these potentially life-saving medications during the school day. As part of their comprehensive anti-drug policy, many schools have made it illegal to use inhalers.
The fact that asthma is responsible for the deaths of more than ten people in the United States every single day is a big problem.
In spite of the fact that fatality rates have decreased over the course of the last decade, every death that is caused by asthma is potentially preventable.
Regarding Ryan’s story, I am deeply sad to learn about it. One of my biggest pet peeves is when people don’t think, since it’s so heartbreaking!
Nevertheless, despite the fact that Ryan’s past is filled with a great deal of tragedy, his fate turned out to be the deciding factor in altering the lives of thousands of children having asthma.
I am relieved that the politicians have signed “Ryan’s law” because I believe that with his mother’s fight for justice, there would have been more tragic deaths.
In honor of Ryan and to raise awareness about the dangers that asthma patients face when they do not have easy access to their inhaler, let us share this article with more people.
