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About the Campaign


In October 1993, 17-year-old Sarah Reading died after eating a lemon meringue pie served to her in the restaurant of a well-known department store. Sarah suffered anaphylactic shock - an extreme allergic reaction in which the blood pressure falls dramatically and the patient rapidly loses consciousness. The dessert contained peanut - to which Sarah was fatally allergic.

It soon became clear to Sarah's family that the condition from which she died was by no means rare. Consequently the Anaphylaxis Campaign was launched in January 1994 by a small group of parents, including Sarah's father David. Immediately the newly-formed Campaign became inundated with calls for advice and information. The vast majority of these enquiries came from the parents of children who suffer serious allergic reactions to peanuts, tree nuts, or both. Occasionally other foods and substances were implicated, such as milk, eggs, soya, sesame, shellfish, insect stings and natural rubber (latex). In many cases there had been life-threatening episodes, yet often the people concerned had received minimal medical advice.

Sarah Reading with her dad, David Reading

The Anaphylaxis Campaign is a membership-based organisation which provides information and guidance, primarily to its members and to potential members, but also to the media, health professionals and food companies. There is also a strong campaigning role, particularly in the areas of product labelling and allergy services.
By Spring 2005, the Campaign had attracted almost 8,000 members but prominent allergists are confident this is just the tip of the iceberg. It is estimated that one in 70 children is allergic to peanuts and in many cases the symptoms are severe. A significant number of people are severely allergic to other foods and substances.

The Campaign is a registered charity (No. 1085527) with the following aims:

1. To preserve the health and relieve those persons who suffer anaphylactic reactions and associated disorders by advancing research into the cause and care of such conditions and to publish the results of such research.

2. To advance the education and general understanding of the public concerning anaphylaxis and associated disorders. The Campaign has a range of educational products including information sheets, videos and a children's book.

All the Campaign's advisers are prominent, respected allergy experts working within the NHS. One of these advisers, Prof John Warner, Professor of Child Health at the University of Southampton, is a member of the Campaign's board of trustees.

PO Box 275,
Farnborough,
Hampshire,
GU14 6SX
Tel: 01252 542029
Fax: 01252 377140

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The Anaphylaxis Campaign is a registered charity which relies on donations and subscriptions. If you have found the information on this site helpful, please consider making a donation