Asthma: St John Ambulance explain how to help during attack
A mum is raising awareness of how dangerous asthma can be following her daughter’s lifelong struggle with the condition.
From just two months old Katie Hoy, now 12, was “constantly wheezy” and in and out of hospital for X-rays.
At the age of one she suffered a chest infection and was prescribed antibiotics, which eventually led to a referral at an asthma clinic.
Although she was given inhalers, which she used as instructed, the older she got the worse the condition became.
Speaking to Belfast Live, her mother Michelle recalled: “She was having asthma attacks everywhere.
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“Once we took a day trip to Murlough beach. Katie had been in good health, she hadn’t been wheezy or shown any symptoms, but she had a full asthma attack on the beach.
“That was the scariest day we ever had. There was absolutely no warning.”
It was revealed that Katie, from Belfast in Northern Ireland, had a rare and serious form of asthma.
“The doctors later told us Katie had gone from being asthmatic to being a brittle asthmatic which means there are no signs an asthma attack could be imminent,” Michelle said.
“Knowing Katie could have an attack at any moment, with absolutely no warning, is terrifying and it’s why she is never without her medication.
“She always carries a little bag with her inhaler, so she has it in case she needs it- whenever, wherever.
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“Another frightening attack happened when we were on holiday at our caravan in Newcastle.
“Katie had a severe asthma attack not long into the holiday and ended up being admitted to Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry for a week.”
That hospital stay was just yet another in a long list for Katie.
Michelle said: “Katie has been admitted to hospital so many times from when she was a baby up until about a year ago.
“It was always so frightening, but the doctors have never been able to diagnose why Katie’s asthma is so severe.
“For most kids with asthma, they find it gets worse in either winter or summer, depending on their individual triggers. With Katie, it makes no difference what time of year it is, she can have bad asthma attacks the whole year round which is quite unusual.”
More recently Katie has been prescribed a new therapy called Dupilumab that is delivered by injection.
Michelle said: “Dupilumab has been shown to work well in both asthma and eczema when standard therapy has failed. Katie gets this on a fortnightly basis, and it has been life changing for her.
“Katie hasn’t been hospitalised by an asthma attack since starting the Dupilumab injections.
“Also, for the first time in over two years, she has been able to stop taking steroids on a constant basis which is great as there can be side effects of taking these long term.
“The health impact for Katie has obviously been massive but the life impact has been just as big. We no longer have to go to the asthma clinic to get the injections as we can now administer these at home.”
As a result she is catching up on school and hobbies that had been interrupted previously by various hospital visits.
Katie said: “I have suffered with asthma my whole life. I have always felt different from my peers as I have never been able to lead a normal life and participate in normal activities with my friends.
“Before, most plans I made with my friends and family ended up being cancelled due to my asthma flare ups.
”Things like planning birthday parties, attending gymnastics and Gaelic. Since I started the Dupilumab injections I can lead a more normal life and continue with my afterschool activities.
“Asthma is not stopping me. I don’t forget my asthma is severe though and I always make sure to take my medication twice a day and bring my inhalers with me when I’m out with friends and family.”
In a bid to raise awareness of how severe and debilitating asthma can be Michelle has shared Katie’s story as part of a campaign with charity Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke (NICHS).
”Asthma should be acknowledged more-it’s not just a bit of wheeziness, it can be fatal,” Michelle added.
“The brutal fact is people die every day from asthma attacks. We wanted to share our experiences to play our part in helping raise awareness and get people to take asthma seriously.”
For further information and support about asthma visit nichs.org.uk/asthmacankill.
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