Asthma attacks can be life-threatening, a fact tragically highlighted by the death of 12-year-old Ryan Gibbons in 2012.
Ryan suffered a fatal asthma attack while playing soccer at school in Ontario, Canada. Though he needed his inhaler, it was locked in the school office under policy, and spare inhalers he brought were repeatedly confiscated. Friends tried to carry him to the office, but they didn’t reach the medication in time. Ryan collapsed and died.
Despite his mother’s pleas and a doctor’s note, the school did not allow Ryan to carry his inhaler. After his death, his mother, Sandra Gibbons, launched a campaign to change school policies.
Her efforts led to the passage of Ryan’s Law, which requires schools to allow students to carry their inhalers with a doctor’s note. The law was widely praised by health organizations.
Ryan’s death helped expose how preventable fatal asthma attacks can be and sparked change to protect other children’s lives.