An Aberdeen health charity has given its backing to Lauren’s Law, a mum’s plea for emergency inhalers to be included in first aid kits.
It follows the death of 19-year-old chef Lauren Reid in 2020, who suffered a severe asthma attack while working in a Glasgow bar.
It was one of the rare occasions she wasn’t carrying her inhaler.
Her mum has since been calling for emergency asthma kits to be stored in high-risk environments, like commercial kitchens, to help save lives.
Elaine Cunningham’s petition to the UK government, which oversees health and safety laws, racked up more than 100,000 signatures in mere days.
And the matter has been debated by MPs several times since.
Campaign backing amid shock death figures
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation announced its support for Lauren’s Law as it held a Fighting for Air conference in Aberdeen.
It revealed that 96 Scots died of asthma last year – and two-thirds were women.
The charity brought together health experts, politicians and campaigners to discuss how these numbers can be reduced.
And Martina Chukwuma-Ezike, its chief executive, says urgent action is required.
“Whether someone with asthma lives or dies depends on the person standing by them,” she said.
“People always say ‘Oh, you should always have your inhaler with you’.
“But, for example, Lauren, on the day she forgot, she never came back home.
“We are all humans, and we all make mistakes.”
Martina says the ability to store emergency inhalers in workplaces, shops and public places could prove vital in urgent situations.
“If I’m having an asthma attack, survival is three minutes,” she said.
“So many lives cannot go so untimely. These children are too young to die.
“And, speaking as a mother, we are failing them every day by failing to act.”
‘Lauren couldn’t be saved, but other children can’
Lauren’s mum Elaine also spoke at the charity’s summit.
She said there’s a huge wave of public support for her cause – and her dedicated Lauren’s Law TikTok channel has racked up more than 50 million views.
“I’m trying to spread awareness as far and wide as I can,” she told us.
“We’ve had three debates in parliament already so we’re hoping it won’t take too long before it does get passed into law.
“As we know from Lauren’s story, this is between life and death.
“Lauren couldn’t be saved, but other children can.”
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