‘Asthma killed my 19-year-old sister within seconds’: Calls for greater awareness of condition
A woman from Port Talbot who lost her sister to a fatal asthma attack has called for more to be done in Wales to treat lung diseases.
It comes amid research from charity Asthma + Lung UK that has found Wales to have one of the worst respiratory death rates in Western Europe and the worst of all UK nations.
The Welsh Government says it is working to improve air quality and care standards.
Gabrielle Hornsey says her sister Dominique "died within seconds" of suffering an asthma attack aged 19 in June 2017.
"She had just become a mum," Gabrielle said. "She had all her milestones to reach with her little boy, her whole life ahead of her.
"People don't take asthma seriously, but an asthma attack took her whole life away from her in seconds, not even minutes, it was literally seconds."
Gabrielle says she was close to her sister and had been on the phone with Dominique planning a picnic just minutes before she suffered the fatal attack.
"We fought like cat and dog like most sisters did. We were always fighting and arguing over who has whose make-up and who is wearing whose clothes.
"She was just so funny and so full of life, I didn't think for a second I would be here talking about how she is no longer here."
Asthma is a common lung disease that can cause breathing difficulties. Attacks are usually mild but can sometimes be severe, while some rare cases can lead to death.
There is currently no cure for asthma although treatments are available to ensure people can manage their symptoms.
Gabrielle wants more money spent on finding better treatments for lung conditions like asthma.
"There is nowhere near enough funding for asthma considering the one thing we all need to do to live is to breathe," she said.
"There shouldn’t be a price on finding better treatments and helping someone to breathe."
A Welsh Government spokesperson said: "Tackling the climate emergency is at the heart of this government and we are committed to introducing a Clean Air Act this Senedd term.
"Improving air quality is one of the most complex challenges we face and it can only be achieved by working together across sectors and communities.
"We are committed to ensuring people with chronic respiratory disease receive the care and support they need and are working with health boards across Wales to improve standards of care for people with conditions such as COPD and asthma."