Hollywood legend Arnold Schwarzenegger to meet mum whose daughter died from an asthma attack linked to poor air quality
A campaigner for cleaner air who lost her daughter after a severe asthma attack linked to poor air quality has found an unlikely ally to help her terminate pollution.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Hollywood star and former governor of California, appeared on the BBC Breakfast show this morning with Rosamund Kissi-Debrah whose nine-year-old-daughter Ella died in 2013.
Rosamund and Ella lived just 25m from the South Circular in Lewisham, and last month the attorney general said a new inquest would take place to investigate the quality of air in that area.
On the show, Mr Schwarzenegger promised he would meet with Rosamund.
The star told Rosamund via Skype: “I’m coming to London in January and just wanted to see if you want to get together?
“Air pollution kills seven million people around the world every year.
“The governments around the world should acknowledge that, not look the other way.
“I’m very proud of you. You just keep on fighting, you’re like the Terminator.”
Following her daughter’s fatal asthma attack, Rosamund has been a campaigner for cleaner air.
Fellow ‘health warrior’ Arnold @Schwarzenegger spoke to her on #BBCBreakfast ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/8yMA4MEAB4— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) January 16, 2020
Ella was first taken to hospital in 2010 after having a coughing fit and was subsequently admitted 27 times before her death.
A 2014 inquest found that she died from “acute respiratory failure,” but in May last year the High Court granted a new inquest after her mum presented new evidence to the courts.
At a pre-inquest review, deputy coroner Philip Barlow said the original inquest finding was quashed “partly on the basis of the testimony of Professor Stephen Holgate which suggested that unlawful levels of air pollution contributed to Ella’s death”.
Pictured top are Rosamund Kissi-Debrah with her daughter, Ella
