This Morning Star's Terrifying Health Ordeal: Hay Fever Mistaken for Cardiac Arrest
This Morning star Sharon Marshall has spoken publicly for the first time about a harrowing health scare that saw her rushed to hospital in an ambulance, with paramedics fearing she was going into cardiac arrest. The 54-year-old television personality, known as the Queen of Soaps, revealed the terrifying incident was actually triggered by severe hay fever, which had been misdiagnosed as adult-onset asthma for years.
A Night of Terror and Misdiagnosis
Sharon recounted waking in the middle of the night unable to breathe, an experience she initially dismissed as being unfit while training for a marathon. "I remember waiting until nine o'clock, ringing the doctor's surgery and they were like, 'oh God, come in immediately,'" she recalled during an appearance on This Morning with hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley.
She described taking a black cab to the surgery, where she promptly collapsed. "I don't really remember much past that because I just collapsed in the doctor's surgery and I came round in the back of an ambulance," Sharon explained. Paramedics informed her they were taking her to hospital, with one stating bluntly: "You're going into cardiac arrest, we're trying to take you into hospital to save your life."
Years of Misery and Medical Confusion
Following a week-long hospital stay, doctors diagnosed Sharon with adult-onset asthma. For years, she relied on powerful asthma inhalers and steroids, going through an inhaler set weekly during pollen season. "Every year it was just this terrifying thing of, 'I can't breathe' – stronger and stronger steroids and asthma inhalers," she revealed.
The situation became so severe that Sharon struggled to walk up stairs at her doctor's surgery and was even tested for lung cancer at one point. Each spring brought renewed bouts of breathlessness and illness, with no clear explanation for the seasonal pattern.
The Breakthrough Diagnosis
The turning point came during a visit to the This Morning studios, where Sharon suffered another breathing crisis while having her makeup applied. The crew called a medic as she experienced what appeared to be an asthma attack. Fortunately, allergy expert Professor Adam Fox was in the studio that day filming a segment about allergies.
Professor Fox recognized the seasonal pattern and diagnosed Sharon with seasonal allergic asthma. He explained: "The problem isn't chronic all the time asthma, it's just that when your hay fever is bad enough... if your upper airway because of the hayfever is really angry, it can send really angry signals down to your lower airway, your lungs, and give you what presents as an asthma attack."
Life-Changing Treatment and Recovery
Professor Fox prescribed desensitisation treatment, which retrains the immune system to tolerate pollen. Sharon described the results as miraculous and completely life-changing. "It's miraculous, it's completely life changing," she said of the treatment that finally addressed the root cause of her years of suffering.
Her story highlights the complex relationship between hay fever and respiratory conditions, and the importance of accurate diagnosis for effective treatment. Sharon's candid revelation serves as both a cautionary tale about severe allergic reactions and a message of hope for those struggling with similar health challenges.
