A MUM-of-two described as “loving” and “always laughing” died suddenly from an asthma attack aged 22.
Amy Greenwood was found unconscious and not breathing at home after her partner heard a “thud” upstairs.
Amy Greenwood/FacebookAmy Greenwood, 22, died following an asthma attack in October 2022[/caption]
Amy Greenwood/FacebookThe mum-of-two with her partner Keagan Boylan[/caption]
She was rushed to hospital but passed away two days later, on October 21, 2022.
Almost a year on, her family and friends want to spread awareness about the dangers of asthma and raise money for charity.
Mum Joanne told the Echo: “She was just a 22-year-old looking forward to the rest of her life.
“We’ve missed her in so many ways over the past 12 months.
“I’ve realised how loved she was by everybody.”
Asda worker Amy, from Skelmersdale, Lancashire, suffered with “debilitating” asthma from the age of three.
She took medication and regularly saw doctors to manage her condition, which affects 5.4million people in the UK, but never suffered an episode as severe as the one two nights before she died.
Joanne recalled how she had spoken to her daughter on FaceTime that evening about how excited she was to have just moved into a new house.
Amy, who was due to get married in June, had also recently bought her little girl a Christmas pudding outfit and seemed “upbeat and positive”, her mum said.
“I didn’t for one minute think it would be the last time I saw her and spoke to her,” she added.
But later that night, Amy’s fiance Keagan Boylan heard a thud.
When he went upstairs, he found her unconscious and not breathing between the landing and the doorway to their bedroom.
While administering CPR, he called for an ambulance and Amy was taken to Wigan Infirmary.
Doctors determined she had experienced a “severe” asthma attack which she couldn’t recover from, and her life support machine was turned off.
Joanne said: “She’d had such a bad episode. The hospital said it’s nothing you’ve done or she’s done, there could have been an underlying infection or a basic cold that could have triggered it.
“It was that bad there was no resuscitating her from that.”
My heart felt like it had been torn from my chest.
Joanne
Speaking to Metro, she added: “Looking down at my beautiful daughter lying on a hospital bed, tears rolled down my cheeks.
“How had it come to this?
“Just hours earlier, she’d been chatting away to me. Now, she was lifeless in front of my eyes as family and friends leaned in to kiss her forehead and say their final goodbyes.
“For years, I’d watched Amy battle with asthma – still, I never imagined her condition would eventually kill her.
“‘Goodbye my angel,’ I whispered as I gave her my final kiss. My heart felt like it had been torn from my chest.”
The family want to educate Brits on how serious asthma can be and the risks of not carrying an inhaler or using them as instructed.
Her brother James said: “Always take your inhalers, and if you feel even a slight wheeze, don’t just think nothing of it.
“Before an asthma attack, Amy always said she’d get an itchy chin, which sounds strange but others have said the same.
“But if you feel your chest tighten, that’s the main sign.”
Relatives are also hosting a charity ball and a raffle to raise funds for Asthma + Lung UK.
Joanne said: “It’s all about remembering Amy. She would be absolutely blown away if she knew the response we’ve had from people and the love people have shown her.
“It sounds a bit of cliche, but she was funny, she was always laughing, and she saw the good in people.
“She was a really good friend to people and she just loved her babies.”
Amy is survived by daughter Orla, one, and five-year-old son Bailey.
Everything you need to know about asthma
What is it?
Asthma is a common, long-term condition which affects the airways that carry air in and out of the lungs.
How common is it?
Around 5.4million people in the UK have asthma. That’s one in every 12 adults and one in 11 children.
What are the symptoms?
Coughing, wheezing, feeling breathless or having a tight chest can all be signs of asthma.
What causes it?
Asthma can run in families, but having a relative with the condition doesn’t mean you or your child will definitely get it.
Allergies can make it more likely, as can being born prematurely, having bronchiolitis and croup as a child, and being exposed to chemicals or dust.
Hormones also play a part, as does smoking, pollution, obesity, low vitamin D levels, and antibiotics.
What are the most common triggers?
Lots of things can make asthma worse, but people frequently report colds and viruses, pets, pollen, pollution, house dust mites and stress.
How can I manage it?
Most people can manage their condition by using a preventer inhaler every day, a reliever inhaler during a flare-up, and avoiding their lifestyle triggers.
Can you die from an asthma attack?
Yes. Four people die every day because of asthma attacks, according to the National Review of Asthma Deaths.
Is there a cure?
No, but there are medicines to prevent symptoms.
Source: Asthma + Lung UK