“Asthma and its attacks can be life-threatening.
The tragic loss of 12-year-old Ryan Gibbons serves as a stark reminder of this harsh reality.
Ryan was an adventurous and spirited boy, passionate about motorbiking and exploring the woods. Yet, a simple mistake would soon take his life in a heartbreaking turn of events.”
“In 2012, while at school, Ryan suffered a sudden and severe asthma attack.”
“At the onset of the attack, Ryan could have easily used his inhaler, but tragically, it had been taken away from him.
On October 9, Ryan, a seventh grader, headed to school like any other day. Little did he know, this day would end in heartbreak.
While playing soccer, he experienced a sudden asthma attack but was unable to reach his emergency medication, which was locked away in the school office.”
“In that life-threatening moment, Ryan desperately needed his inhaler to help him breathe.
However, the school’s policy mandated that inhalers be kept locked in the principal’s office, and Ryan’s spare inhalers had been confiscated multiple times before.
His friends rushed to help, trying to carry him to the office during the attack, but tragically, they couldn’t reach the inhaler in time.”
“Ryan lost consciousness and, tragically, was never revived.
This heartbreaking incident occurred at Elgin County School in Ontario, Canada, sending shockwaves through the nation.
An investigation uncovered that, despite his mother’s repeated requests and a doctor’s note, the school had a policy that prohibited Ryan from keeping his inhaler with him.
According to his mother, Sandra Gibbons, Ryan had often brought an extra inhaler to school to bypass this rule.
Asthma attacks can strike without warning, making it incredibly dangerous for inhalers to be locked away.
Yet, the school continued to confiscate Ryan’s spare inhaler.
Sandra recalled how the school would contact her multiple times to retrieve an inhaler Ryan had brought, but he was never allowed to take it home.
As Sandra Gibbons told CBC, ‘You could give him an inhaler, but then he would get caught with it, and it would be taken away.'”
“I would often receive phone calls, and it was incredibly frustrating. I couldn’t understand why this was happening. It wasn’t until later that I realized the policy required prescribed medication to be kept in the office.
Despite the heartache, Ryan’s tragic passing sparked change.
In the aftermath of Ryan’s death, his mother, Sandra Gibbons, made a promise to do everything in her power to ensure no other family would experience a similar loss.
Following the funeral, Sandra initiated a petition aimed at the Ontario government, calling on school boards to adopt standardized asthma management plans. She also urged all three political parties to support a private member’s bill proposed by Progressive Conservative Jeff Yurek.”
“When Ryan died, it felt like I lost everything that mattered to me,” Gibbons shared with Allergic Living. “After laying my son to rest, I realized this was a preventable tragedy. If people had been properly trained and knew how to recognize when a child was in distress, he would still be here today.”
Determined to prevent other families from facing a similar loss, Sandra set out to change the regulations that prevented asthmatic children from carrying their essential medication.
Her tireless advocacy soon started to pay off.
Now known as Ryan’s Law, Bill 135 has successfully passed, receiving support from all parties in the legislature.
This law mandates that schools allow children to keep their inhalers in their pockets or backpacks, as long as they have a doctor’s note.
“I’m truly overwhelmed, filled with emotion, and incredibly happy that it’s going to be put into action,” Sandra Gibbons expressed.
The Asthma Society also celebrated the bill’s approval. Dr. Rob Oliphant, the president of the society, emphasized, “It is crucial for children with asthma to have immediate access to potentially life-saving medications while at school.”
In the U.S., every state has laws that allow students to carry their asthma inhalers at all times.
However, despite these laws, some children still face obstacles in accessing these life-saving medications during school hours. Many schools still restrict inhalers due to broad anti-drug policies.
Asthma can be a deadly condition, with over 10 Americans losing their lives to it every day.
While the death rate has decreased over the past decade, each asthma-related death is one that could have been prevented.
I’m truly saddened by Ryan’s story. It’s incredibly frustrating when the seriousness of this issue is overlooked, and it truly breaks my heart!
Despite the tragedy of Ryan’s experience, his story has been pivotal in improving the lives of countless children living with asthma.
Thanks to his mother’s unwavering fight for justice, we now have a way to prevent more heartbreaking losses, and we can be thankful that lawmakers have enacted “Ryan’s Law.”
Let’s spread the word and honor Ryan’s memory by raising awareness about the dangers faced by asthma patients who don’t have easy access to their inhalers.
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