Ella Roberta was a funny, busy, clever, curious, sporty and musical child. She was born in Lewisham Hospital and was a healthy, young girl until just before her 7th birthday she began to develop, what was later confirmed at her inquest, rare and life threatening asthma.

The inquest into the cause of her death at 9 years old has concluded with the ruling that dangerously high levels of air pollution in London made a “material contribution” and will be recorded as a medical cause of her death in 2013.

The inquest was possible thanks to the extraordinary campaign led by Ella’s mum, Rosamund Kissi-Debrah, now a World Health Organisation advocate for health and air quality. Rosamund set up the Ella Roberta Family Foundation after the death of her beloved daughter. The aim of the foundation is to improve the lives of children affected by asthma in South East London by raising awareness of asthma, campaigning for better treatment and for clean air.

Rosamund is featured in the Women’s Hour Power list. Listen to the interview.

Green Party Women April 2020 Conference on Air Pollution and Covid

Rosamund and researchers from the Cambridge University Toxicology department spoke about Air Pollution and Covid at the conference.

Extract of Rebeka Popovic and Dr. Lisa Selly on Air Pollution & Raised Covid-19 Infection Risk

“We explored potential links between the major air pollutants that are released during fossil fuel combustion and COVID-19 in England. Looking at the effects on both population and individuals, we showed that the levels of some air pollutants are linked to the risk of being infected as well as chances of dying from COVID-19. We also identified which sources were contributing most to levels of these air pollutants in England. Our results emphasise the importance of strengthening efforts to tighten air pollution regulations”

Rebeka Popovic is a PhD student at the MRC Toxicology Unit. Her research explores why and how air pollutants cause harm to the body, focusing on the biological changes that they create in the lungs as well as their role in promoting airway infections.

Liza’s projects are based on pollutants that currently have little or no government regulation. These include non-exhaust traffic emissions like brake dust, biodiesel exhaust and aviation emissions

View the full presentations.

Some short extracts from Rosamund are here:
How Many Die From Air Pollution
I Knew Air Was Filthy
Why So Many BAME Deaths
Why So Many Bus Drivers Die From Air Pollution.

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