Mum's urgent warning after son, 16, died of hay fever while celebrating GCSEs

A devastated mum has issued an urgent warning over pollen after her teenage son died from while celebrating the end of his with pals. Helena Dale, 56, warned "pollen aren't taken seriously enough" after tragically losing her son, Joe, then 16, after he went out to the park with pals in the height of summer.

Later that evening, Joe was relaxing at a friend's house when he suffered a devastating and lost consciousness. He was then rushed to but never regained consciousness - and six days later his parents made the heartbreaking decision to turn off his life-support machine on June 23, 2017 - the day of his school prom.

believe his cause of death was a to pollen, which was extremely high that day, and can cause airways to swell up for sufferers of the condition.

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The swelling is thought to have caused Joe's bronchial tubes to narrow - preventing the teen from being able to breathe properly and resulting in him falling unconscious.

Nearly eight years on, Helena is shedding a light on Joe's story to help warn others to stay "vigilant" ahead of the summer months and carry medication everywhere with them. Helena, who works in admin, from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, said: "There needs to be more awareness raised around pollen allergies. They're not taken seriously enough.

"I never believed Joe would die, I thought he'd be OK. It's impossible to put into words what it's like to lose a child like this - it's absolutely heart-wrenching. It still hurts every day he's not here. When I see his mates get jobs and girlfriends, I think Joe should be here doing the same thing.

"Take medication as medically instructed and an inhaler everywhere if you have one. Be vigilant, especially when the pollen count is high. 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."

Helena said Joe was a "fit and active" boy who would play football up to four times a week and often went go-kart racing with his dad, Jon, 54, a graphic designer. Despite having developed asthma at the age of five, Joe only had one attack when he was 12 - before his death four years later.

Helena said he took a puff on a "brown inhaler" to reduce airway inflammation each morning and evening - and kept a "blue inhaler" - which relaxes airways - on him during the day in case of an emergency. On June 23, 2017, after spending time with friends at the park, at around 7.30pm, Joe got up from his seat and puffed on his blue inhaler.

He then fell to the floor unconscious, and an ambulance was called before Joe's friend contacted Helena and Jon to tell them what had happened. He was rushed to Barnsley Hospital and immediately admitted to intensive care, where doctors spent days attempting to save his life.

That same day, a consultant told Joe's parents there was nothing else they could do, Helena said. In the wake of the tragedy, the heartbroken couple decided to donate Joe's organs and they have since learned they were used to save three other people - including a father and a teenager. Helena said: "We knew he would have wanted that, he was such a kind and thoughtful person. It does help to know his death wasn't for nothing."

When the GCSE results were released that summer, Joe's family discovered he had achieved great results in all his subjects - including some A*s. He was due to go into Penistone Grammar Sixth Form a few weeks later and had plans to go to university afterwards too.

Helena and Jon - alongside their two other children, Matt, 20, and Abbie, 31 - were supported by Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice following Joe's death. The hospice enables families to stay with their children after they die in specialist suites.

"We were able to stay at the facility for a week after we lost Joe - it was our saving grace," Helena said. "We've never forgotten that and continue a close relationship with the hospice. This September, Joe would have been 25. It hurts that he isn't here.

"To anyone who has pollen allergies - severe or not - be vigilant this summer. Make smart choices with outdoor exposure and always take your medication and or an inhaler everywhere. Joe's story is a tragic reminder that pollen allergies are serious."