There is a possibility that every episode, including asthma, might result in death. The tragic and premature death of Ryan Gibbons, who was just 12 years old, makes this point extremely plain. In spite of the fact that Ryan was a vivacious young guy who took pleasure in riding motorbikes and going on excursions in the woods, he would soon pass away as a result of a fatal mistake. Back in 2012, he had an asthma episode when he was at school. It would have been simple for him to use his inhaler at the beginning of the event; however, the device that may have saved his life had been taken away.
On October 9, Ryan Gibbons, who is twelve years old and in the seventh grade, went to school as he normally would. That day, however, he would not be going home.
Ryan had an asthma attack while playing football at school, but he was unable to get his emergency medicine since it was stored in the office of the school. A toddler who was experiencing agony need his inhaler in order to clear his airways and allow him to breathe.
On the other hand, Ryan was regularly deprived of spare inhalers due to the fact that it was the policy of the school to keep the inhalers locked in the office of the principal. As the assault was going on, Ryan’s friends made an effort to get him to the office, but they were unable to get to the inhaler in time. It was never possible to bring Ryan back to life after he passed out.
The tragedy that took place at the Elgin Country School in Ontario, Canada, shook the foundations of a whole nation. After conducting an inquiry, it was discovered that Ryan’s school would not allow him to bring his puffer with him, despite the fact that his mother had made several efforts and had a letter from his physician. The information provided by Ryan’s mother Sandra Gibbons indicates that in order to circumvent this requirement, Ryan would regularly bring an extra inhaler to school behind him.
There is a danger involved in keeping the inhaler locked in a room since asthma episodes are not always going to be predicted. Despite this, the school proceeded to take Ryan’s second inhaler away from him.
According to Ryan’s mother, she was contacted by the school on many occasions and asked to get an inhaler that her son had taken to school with him. He was not allowed to take it with him to his house. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) was informed by Sandra Gibbons that “you would give him an inhaler, but he would get caught with the inhaler, and then it would be taken away.”
The next thing I knew, I would get a phone call. As a matter of fact, it was rather irritating. I was at a loss to understand why. at my ignorance, I was not aware of the express necessity that the prescription medicine be maintained at the office as stipulated by the policy. To our great relief, Ryan’s terrible death was not meant to be wasted. The pledge that Ryan’s mother has made after his loss is that she would do all in her power to prevent another family from going through what she went through.
In the aftermath of the funeral, Sandra Gibbons initiated a petition with the intention of compelling school boards in the province of Ontario to establish common asthma treatment programs. Additionally, she urged all three parties to give their approval to a private member’s bill that was proposed by Jeff Yurek, a Progressive Conservative Representative.
Gibbons expressed her feelings to Allergic Living, saying, “When Ryan passed away, it was like losing everything I had lived for.” Following the burial of my kid, I came to the realization that this was an assault that might have been averted. It is my view that he would be here in this world today if individuals had received the appropriate training and were aware of what to look for when a child was in jeopardy.
There are rules that ban children who suffer from asthma from carrying their life-saving equipment. Sandra’s objective was to change these regulations. And she will soon begin to experience the results of her deliberate struggle. Now, every single party in the legislature is in favor of Bill 135, which is also referred to as Ryan’s Law.
To comply with the legislation, schools are obligated to allow students to carry their inhalers in their pockets or backpacks if they have a letter from their doctor. It was Sandra Gibbons who made the following observation: “I’m really emotional, overwhelmed, and happy that it’s going to be implemented.” Dr. Rob Oliphant, president of the Asthma Society, commended the passage of the measure and emphasized that it is essential for children who suffer from asthma to have simple access to asthma treatments that might possibly save their lives while they are at school.
Students are permitted to carry their asthma inhalers at all times, as long as they comply with the regulations that are in place in each and every state in the United States. Despite this, there are still some children who are denied access to these potentially life-saving medications while they participate in school activities. There are broad anti-drug rules in place at many schools that restrict the use of inhalers. Given that asthma claims the lives of more than 10 people in the United States every single day, deadly asthma is a significant problem. Despite the fact that the incidence of deaths caused by asthma has dropped over the last ten years, it is still possible to prevent any fatalities that are caused by asthma.
When I heard about Ryan’s tale, it took my breath away. It breaks my heart beyond measure, and I just despise it when people don’t take into consideration! Even though Ryan’s history was filled with tragedy, the conclusion of his story eventually altered the lives of hundreds of youngsters who suffered from asthma. If his mother hadn’t campaigned for justice, there would have been a far higher likelihood of such horrific tragedies occurring, which is why I am relieved that the politicians passed “Ryan’s law.” Let’s spread the word about this post so that we can both pay tribute to Ryan and educate others on the risks that asthmatics face when they do not have ready access to their inhaler.