‘Hayfever killed my son’: South Yorkshire mum’s warning after teen dies following GCSE celebration
A South Yorkshire mum has issued a stark warning about the dangers of pollen allergies after her 16-year-old son died from a severe asthma attack, believed to have been triggered by high pollen levels on a summer’s day.
A Barnsley mum is urging people to take pollen allergies seriously, eight years after her teenage son died from a fatal asthma attack thought to have been triggered by high pollen levels.
Joe Dale was just 16 when he collapsed at a friend’s house following a day out celebrating the end of his GCSEs. Despite being rushed to hospital, he never regained consciousness and died on June 23, 2017 - the day of his school prom.
His mum, Helena Dale, now 56, says she never imagined something like hayfever could take her son’s life. “Pollen allergies aren’t taken seriously enough,” she said.
“I thought Joe would be OK, I really did. It’s impossible to explain the pain of losing a child like that.”
Joe had lived with asthma since he was five but managed it well with daily medication and an emergency inhaler. He had only experienced one previous asthma attack, aged 12.
Doctors believe his cause of death was a severe asthmatic reaction to pollen, which was extremely high that day, and can cause airways to swell up for sufferers of the condition.
It's believed the swelling caused Joe's bronchial tubes to narrow - preventing the teen from being able to breathe properly and resulting in him falling unconscious.
While sitting with friends that evening, Joe stood up, used his inhaler, and suddenly collapsed.
He was taken to Barnsley Hospital and placed in intensive care, but after six days of treatment, Helena and her husband Jon were told there was nothing more doctors could do. They made the heart-breaking decision to turn off his life support.
“He was fit, active, and full of life,” Helena said. “He played football several times a week, loved go-karting with his dad, and had so many plans for the future.”
After his death, the family learned Joe had achieved excellent GCSE results, including A*s. He had hoped to attend sixth form at Penistone Grammar and later go on to university.
Helena and Jon chose to donate Joe’s organs, which went on to save the lives of three people -including a teenager and a father.
“We knew he would’ve wanted that, he was so thoughtful and kind,” she said.
The family were supported by Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, which allowed them to stay with Joe in a specialist suite after his death.
Helena described the hospice as their saving grace and says they’ve remained close to the charity ever since.
As summer approaches and pollen levels begin to rise, Helena hopes Joe’s story will serve as a powerful warning.
“Even if your allergy or asthma seems mild, it can turn serious very quickly, always carry your medication and be careful when the pollen count is high,” she said.
"It's nice to talk about Joe and use his story to raise awareness, but it's just as painful because we're still navigating life without him."
Joe would have turned 25 this September.
For more advice and support on asthma and pollen allergies, visit: www.asthmaandlung.org.uk
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