I am often asked what would Ella make of all the attention? Probably take it in her stride the same way as everything else in her world which was cautious at times. Hmmm that word has been used a lot of late, we never knew whether we were coming or going her condition was unpredictable to say the least. Did she ever cry about the situation she found herself in I was asked? Surprisingly no unless she was feeling ill and breathless but then I cried enough for both of us I guess. She sometimes looked worried and remarked “you are going to make yourself ill” or “look how the stress of me being ill is making you loose your hair”. Hair has always been a huge deal in our family but I said tearfully one afternoon “if you would get better I will shave it off” a sign of a desperate Mum to her daughter I think. She looked at me and frowned as usual one of her trademarks from birth. Yesterday I spoke at the AGM of the London Hazard Centre, I was deeply moved as I got a standing ovation at the end and grateful for their compassion as I needed it. Back to Ella, she sort of knew about the fame that would one day come her way but not in this format. Dr Wallis, her respiratory consultant at Great Ormond Sreet Hospital was trying to explain to her just how severe her asthma was: “I have no doubt Ella one day due to how severe and rare your asthma is you will be in the medical books” she raised her eyebrows and smiled as usual. I think her only response was; really? She loved science and I think being in one of the books sounded cool. She always collected those 100 facts about .... and seemed to think she needed to share all her knowledge constantly. It was always “Mum did you know that ...”. Ella did ask Dr Wallis whether any other child had asthma as bad as she did? He answered “thankfully not and she was relieved. Knowing how kind Ella was empathy did not escape her she would not want any other child to suffwr like she was. She shared her gift of reading with others “today Mum I finished my work early and Mrs Lowenstein allowed me to help other kids with their reading”. Now as we learn the extent of the harm Air Pollution dies we know Ella had every right to be worried about the health of other kids. 600,000 children dying every year from air pollution, she will be appalled and devastated in equal measures. I mean more than half a million? Can you believe it? What an awful public health crisis? I am constantly being reminded “the general public are not taking it seriously because they can’t see it”. The only thing I can say to that is when you are next on a busy road or a diesel car drives by just inhale. I promise even if you can’t see it you will be able to smell it, sometimes you can even taste it at the back of your throat. So in the future my dad prediction is it will be linked to throat cancer amongst the ever increasing medical conditions air pollution is now linked to. Back to Ella as the clock slowly ticks down, it is like that other big decision that is hanging over our heads. This time in the case of the Attorney General’s decision it is about our health now and especially in the future. Do not be blind sided by what is happening in our country at the moment as our health ultimately is the most important thing. If you loose it you can’t get it back unlike most other things. The question is will Ella get justice posthumously? Do you know why the decision in her case is fundamentally linked to your health? If she wins all children win not matter where they are it seems in the world, the photo is from a German newspaper. What does it mean for us her immediate family? Peace and knowing although her horrendous suffering has come to an end she did not die in vain. When the verdict comes back I will be calling on your support no matter which way it goes this is something I freely admit I am unable to carry on my own and I will need the public’s support. So what we are all waiting to find out is, will the girl with the big plaits, big eyes and big smile be lucky this time and make it into the medical books as promised? Remember like that other big decision the clock is slowly ticking, 9 days till Parliament breaks up for Christmas. Will it be a good or bad Christmas or will we all be kept waiting? Tick, tock ......