Teen Girl’s Lung Collapse Sparks Fiery Dad’s Vaping Warning
A Cumbrian dad has issued a stark warning after his 17-year-old daughter nearly died from a vaping-induced lung collapse.
From Vape to Emergency Operation
Mark Blight was plunged into panic when he received a terrifying call: his daughter Kyla had collapsed and turned blue while at a friend’s house.
Kyla, who started vaping at 15, urgently underwent a gruelling five-and-a-half-hour operation to remove part of her lung. She spent two weeks in hospital recovering from a life-threatening pulmonary bleb – a small air blister doctors believe was caused by her heavy use of disposable vapes. When this bleb burst, it punctured her lung, sending her into a near fatal collapse.
Mark, a full-time carer from Egremont, Cumbria, took to Facebook to sound the alarm. He urged young people to “throw away vapes” and warned parents of the hidden dangers behind the craze.
“It Was Terrifying” – Mark’s Harrowing Account
“Her lung collapsed because of the hole. They put a drain in her. She doesn’t like needles and was screaming. She nearly had a cardiac arrest,” Mark revealed.
“They rushed her to newcastle/" title="Newcastle" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Newcastle for surgery. She even had a seizure on the operating table. The surgeon said these blebs are a known issue now, often caused by throw-away vapes bursting and puncturing the lungs. He’s done lots of operations like this.”
“It was horrible to watch. I was with her the whole time. When she went blue on that Friday, they thought she was gone. It was life-threatening,” he added.
Kyla’s Wake-Up Call: “I Thought They Were Harmless”
Kyla admits she started vaping at 15 because everyone else was doing it at school. She used a 4,000-puff disposable vape each week – the equivalent of 400 cigarettes – believing it was safe.
“When I was 15, vaping became popular. I thought it wouldn’t do any harm, even though I’d seen warnings. I think a lot of kids feel the same,” Kyla said.
“Now I won’t go near them. The whole ordeal has really scared me. We thought we’d be in hospital a few hours but ended up having surgeries and two weeks inside.”
Mark’s Plea: Don’t Let This Happen to Your Family
Mark is determined to spread the word: “Watching your kid go through this breaks your heart. It’s just not worth it. Kids don’t get it until it happens to them. That’s why I posted on Facebook – to warn young people.”
He hopes Kyla’s story will make teenagers think twice before grabbing a vape and help other families avoid the nightmare they endured.
Need Help to Quit Vaping?
For advice and support quitting vaping or smoking, visit NHS Smokefree or call the Smokefree National Helpline at 0300 123 1044.
