Anaphylaxis Campaign

Supporting people at risk of severe allergies

DonateEMERGENCY INSTRUCTIONS

Daniel Kelly – Tips for Managing University with an Allergy

by

Starting university, especially with an allergy, can be daunting. It’s usually your first time moving away from home, and University is filled with new experiences, as well as new friends and flatmates who don’t yet know about your allergy. It’s important to reduce your risk of allergic reaction, but there’s no need to worry – I graduated from the University of Huddersfield in 2015 after studying Graphic Design, and I’m here to reassure you that your allergy shouldn’t get in the way of your University experience this September.

I thought long and hard about what I, as someone with a severe nut allergy, would want to know in your position. So here are my top tips…

Be vocal about your allergy

When I moved into my student accommodation I was living with eight complete strangers – it was quite scary at first, but after a few days I settled in and got to know my housemates. It’s so important to tell your new housemates about your allergy so they understand how serious it is, and more importantly, to make sure they always clean up after themselves so there’s no cross-contamination in the kitchen. Which brings me to my second point…

Sharing a kitchen 

Students are renowned for being messy but it’s especially important that your housemates clean up after themselves if they cook with something you’re allergic to. When I moved into my student accommodation, I brought a mini fridge along with me to keep in my room. This made me feel a lot more at ease, knowing there wouldn’t be cross-contamination in the communal fridge, so I’d definitely suggest doing this if you can.

Get a trainer pen

I would recommend getting hold of a tester adrenaline auto-injector (AAI) so you can educate your housemates on what it is and how to use it. I found that other students were really understanding and curious to find out about it, and showing them what to do if you have a severe allergic reaction is much better than simply telling them as they could forget. You could also leave a spare AAI in your kitchen cupboard so they know where one is at all times, just in case.

Catered or self-catered accommodation?

Some halls of residence come with a catering team, and if you’re thinking about taking advantage of this, make sure to call beforehand to check they cater for people with allergies. I decided to go self-catering so I would have more control and could be sure that what I was eating was safe. I wanted to reduce my anxiety as I’ve always felt safer cooking food myself, so if you’re the same, I’d recommend self-catering.

Watch out for cocktails that contain nuts

There were a number of times where cocktails nearly caught me out and I was so close to having an allergic reaction. Once at university my friend ordered me a drink which contained a few different spirits, so I decided to double check with the bar staff to see if it contained nuts. I was surprised to hear it contained almonds, but it showed me you should always go with your gut feeling.

What was even more shocking was that after that, another student swiped my drink from the bar and took a sip. I later found out, through a friend, that she had a nut allergy too and had an allergic reaction. Please never take someone else’s drink from the bar because you don’t know whether it contains nuts, or if the person who drank it last recently ate nuts – it’s definitely not worth the risk. Also, always check with the bar staff when drinking cocktails, and if you’re not confident with their response, try to speak to the manager instead.

Should you ask someone if they’ve eaten nuts on a night out?

Freshers is just around the corner – that usually involves alcohol and meeting lots of new people. There might be a time when you’ve just met a girl/guy, you’re getting on really well… should you ask them if they’ve eaten nuts or not?!

If someone has just eaten nuts and you go in for a kiss, you’re most likely going to have an allergic reaction; I’ve heard of this happening to other allergy sufferers. My advice to you is to always ask. I’d usually ask in a jokey way and they would just laugh it off and say they haven’t eaten nuts – it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

 

To sum up, going to university with an allergy shouldn’t be scary, it’s a fun and exciting time where you meet lots of new people and make amazing memories that stay with you for a lifetime. Just remember to always be vocal about your allergy, and never feel embarrassed to speak up about it – I promise you, people are very understanding when you explain to them why it’s so serious.

Finally, always go with your gut feeling. If you feel that bar or restaurant staff don’t understand how serious your allergy is, then don’t eat or drink there. My gut feeling has saved me a lot in the past – I always trust it because nine times out of ten it’s right!

If you want to find out more about living with an allergy make sure to check out my Instagram at @_maycontain or also find more content on my blog at https://www.may-contain.com/ Make sure to check out all the amazing content on Anaphylaxis at https://www.anaphylaxis.org.uk/schools/universities/allergies-at-university/

22-year-old student from the UK shares her dangerous experiences while eating out in Argentina

by

I am a 22-year-old student from the UK, sending you an update from my year abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I am a peanut allergy sufferer and wanted to share a couple of dangerous experiences I’ve had here, to warn you about things that you might not have considered when travelling with allergies.

I would say that I am quite proficient in Spanish; I lived in Madrid for a bit and I feel comfortable asking in restaurants whether dishes contain “cacahuetes”, “nueces” or “frutos secos” (to cover all bases). However, I didn’t know that in Argentina, the common word for peanuts is “maní”. So, on my second day in the country, I picked up a pot of hummus from the supermarket, not realising that it contained peanuts, and had my first ever oral reaction to peanuts in the 15 years that I’ve known about my allergy. I am usually extremely careful about checking ingredients, but on this odd occasion I didn’t bother because I never would have expected to find peanuts in hummus! It’s not something that you’d find in the UK. When my mouth started feeling strange, I went to check the ingredients of the hummus – just in case – and the only ingredient I didn’t recognise was “pasta de maní”. I looked it up and it meant “peanut paste”. I was shocked. I was also freaking out because I was alone in a foreign country and didn’t know whether I was ill enough to use an EpiPen. Luckily, the reaction calmed down after a couple of hours and my body rejected the peanuts by vomiting. Whether you want to blame me for my reaction or not, the two things I learned from this experience are 1) to ask for the local names of your allergens even if you think you know the language, eg. Spanish used in Spain is different to Spanish in Argentina and 2) don’t assume that the products you can buy in the UK will be exactly the same as the ones abroad – you may be surprised to find your allergen in something you never would have expected.

There’s a local café that I frequent in Buenos Aires, and I always ask whether the dishes contain nuts. The first time I had pesto pasta there, I asked, they said no, and I was fine. The second time I had the pesto pasta, I didn’t ask, because I assumed that it would contain the same ingredients. I immediately started feeling ill, and, knowing how I reacted to the hummus a few weeks earlier, I was certain that the pesto must have contained peanuts. I asked the waitress about what I’d just eaten, and she assured me that the dish didn’t contain peanuts. Still not convinced by this, I asked to speak to the chef, and he told me that sometimes, when they run out of certain ingredients, they replace them with peanuts. On this occasion, he had replaced pine nuts with peanuts, and that is why I had the reaction. Again, you can blame me for not checking when I ordered, but the staff didn’t even know that the chef had changed the ingredients so I still would have had the reaction! Therefore, I want to warn you to be extra careful if you come to Argentina, as restaurants don’t have allergy lists like they do in the UK. I don’t know if it’s common to replace ingredients with peanuts in other countries as well, but be aware that this could happen to you, too. Don’t assume that ingredients always stay the same. If you’re worried about a dish, double-check with the staff in the restaurant, and if you’re still not convinced, ask to speak to the chef to clarify BEFORE you order a dish.

Having said that, the most recent reaction I had in a café came about even after I had double checked with the staff about the ingredients. I ordered a milkshake that came with wafers on top as decoration. The wafers, as I later found out, were not filled with dulce de leche but with peanut butter! When I asked the staff to confirm the ingredients whilst I was reacting (in case I was reacting to a nut I didn’t previously know I was allergic to), they realised that they did not, in fact, know what was in the milkshake and couldn’t confirm the ingredients. They were absolutely hopeless in the café and didn’t offer any help despite it potentially being a medical emergency. I returned a week later (it took me all that time to recover from the reaction) to speak to the manager. I asked to see the packaging for the wafers and other decorations on the milkshake I’d ordered, and the wafers clearly said that they had a peanut butter filling. I was shocked. I explained how dangerous it was and the importance of the staff knowing all the ingredients so that it never happens again. I wrote in their book of complaints and they promised to contact me to “resolve” the situation, which they didn’t. I was barely offered an apology. This just goes to show how careless people can be and how the standards can differ from country to country. The staff were completely ignorant and lied to me about the ingredients – they didn’t seem to care about the repercussions or show any empathy. Now I don’t feel that I can place my trust in restaurant staff wherever I go.

I honestly feel so blessed to have survived these 3 oral reactions, considering I was previously told I was anaphylactic. Others of you might have even more extreme reactions, so let my experiences be a warning to you all to be more careful when checking ingredients abroad, and to carry your medication with you everywhere.

 

Visit our travel section for information

Two young girls from St Ninian’s High School show extreme courage as they take centre stage and host presentations to fellow pupils and teachers about living with allergies

by

Living with allergies isn’t something you should be concerned about talking to others about. In fact, being open and talking about the allergies you are living with could make things easier. The more people who have knowledge of the day to day struggles and the potentially fatal consequences, the better it will be for everyone. This is certainly something two brave young girls from St Ninian’s High school in East Renfrewshire thought.

Martha, aged 12 who has an allergy to peanuts and Holly, aged 17 who has allergies to milk (protein), nuts and avocado showed extreme courage as they spoke about their allergies to fellow pupils and teachers. The girls felt it was important to share their daily experiences and knowledge. The aim was to raise awareness and to educate the people around them about severe allergies, in the hope that anyone living with allergies would feel a little safer and less embarrassed.

The presentation covered a variety of facts from; what is an allergy, how allergic reactions happen, common allergens, symptoms, and treatment including medication and how to use it. They even had a few willing volunteers to demonstrate how to administer an adrenaline auto-injector using a training device. On top of the facts, they also spoke about understanding the effect of teasing has on young people. They showed their peers how to help instead – for example helping their friends remember their kit. A short video produced by Aimmune Therapeutics, “Leo’s story” was included to help the pupils understand how hard it is to live with an allergy.

Martha says, “I was being teased and so were some of my friends with severe allergies. I wanted people to realise that this isn’t a joke and it doesn’t define all of me. I hoped that if people understood how serious allergies can be, then they wouldn’t tease.”

Holly says, “Many of the teachers were impressed with the delivery and they were glad we did the talk and I personally feel more confident, and safer.”

It is important to understand how teasing can be upsetting but to tease someone about a medical condition cannot be excused.

The support the girls had from family members, friends, and teachers at St Ninian’s High School was amazing. Offers of help and encouragement came throughout the process. Paula, Martha’s mother, who is a volunteer for the Anaphylaxis Campaign, downloaded our Schools Allergy Awareness Resource Pack, which formed the base of the presentation.

Mr. John Docherty, Head Teacher said “Martha and Holly’s presentation was excellent and very well received by all pupils and staff. It was clearly on a subject that was very personal to them and their passion was evident for all to see. The presentation was extremely informative about the signs of anaphylaxis and what to do should you be with someone who has an allergy. We are very proud of both Holly and Martha who showed exceptional leadership of their peers and teachers.”

Before the presentation, the general knowledge of allergies and their effects was very low amongst the pupils. The girls aim to educate fellow pupils was a real success as their presentation was well received with lots of positive feedback. Comments included; “very educational, I understand that teasing can result in less confidence and we have the necessary information to quickly and safely respond in an emergency”. Due to this positive and well-executed presentation, the schools have also asked for Paula to hold separate presentations for all the staff.

One 12-year-old pupil said: “I really enjoyed the presentation as it taught me how to possibly save a friends life if they have anaphylaxis and I didn’t know that you could be allergic to such a wide range of products”

Not everyone will feel that doing presentations to large groups is within their reach, but even talking to their friends or people they hang around with goes a long way to achieving great awareness. Both Martha and Holly not only feel a sense of achievement but also feel safer in the school environment knowing that the pupils around them understand the seriousness of allergies and how to help in an emergency.

“We are so proud of them for their courage but also that they have shown other young people who are just as self-conscious and embarrassed that they can be confident, brave and unashamed.” Said Paula McMahon, Martha’s mother.

Both the girls believe that you must try to be confident in talking to other people about your allergy. People can’t help or understand if they don’t know about severe allergies. Always carry your kit with you, it can save your life and don’t let it hold you back.

22/02/2019

Stephanie talks to us about how glitter has helped her educate children all about severe allergies in her bid to improve allergy awareness in schools

by

In July of 2016, Stephanie and her family made the big move from Canada to Cardiff. For anyone, moving across oceans and time zones is an adjustment but for Stephanie there was another element to consider, her son William’s severe allergies.

Stephanie’s idea of raising awareness of severe allergies and anaphylaxis in schools began when William started school in Cardiff. ‘The allergy game in Canada is completely different, in schools there was training for all staff on how to use Adrenaline Auto Injectors and children are educated about the seriousness of allergies.’ Stephanie felt that when William first started his new school there was a lack of awareness around severe allergies, with William at times being excluded from activities where his allergens may be present. Understanding that education would be the key to improving this, Stephanie sat down with William and asked if he would be happy for her to speak in schools about creating a safer environment for all children with severe allergies. ‘I’m not trying to change the world to adjust to William’s allergies but instead raising awareness and empathy.’

With an idea in place to approach local schools and do a presentation on how everyone can keep those with severe allergies safe, Stephanie approached the Anaphylaxis Campaign with her plan. From here, Stephanie, with the help of the Campaign’s Information Team, developed a PowerPoint which helped create a Schools Allergy Awareness Pack. With the presentation ready, Stephanie started contacting local schools and offered to facilitate an allergy awareness lesson. With four lessons completed and more confirmed Stephanie is well on the way to achieving her goal of educating both children and staff of the seriousness of allergies and anaphylaxis.

Stephanie has come up with creative ways of teaching these subjects and has found materials to be her greatest friend. ‘I realised I needed visual tools to engage the children. I used glitter to highlight cross contamination by getting the children to put it on their hands and then shake each other’s hand to show how allergies can travel and why it is so important to wash your hands’. This great idea along with the PowerPoint and other activities sheets has enabled the children to learn all about allergies and how they can help not only other children who may be affected by these but also their teachers. ‘When there are thirty children in the class a teacher can’t keep an eye on all of them at once, teaching children the signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction enables them to notice if their friend is looking unwell and tell the teacher who can help’.

When asked what sort of things she hears a lot, Stephanie said that the children have asked if anyone can have an allergy. Stephanie mentions how referring to celebrities who have allergies is a great answer for this and also shows how it doesn’t have to stop anyone from doing anything, it just means you have to be a bit more careful. When asked if she has seen an impact from her lessons, Stephanie mentioned how William’s best friend, who like William is just six, has been great in telling his parents that they need to know how to use his Adrenaline Auto Injector and when William is round that they should avoid eating anything with his allergens in.

It is clear from talking to Stephanie that her son William has been a great driving force in the fantastic work she has been doing. ‘I am a mum of a child with allergies trying to make the world a bit better for him, allergies are not feared in our house.’ It certainly seems that William thinks his mum is great and has told Stephanie how proud he is of her. Armed with this and an ambition to keep going, Stephanie is keen to not only carry on her work within primary schools but is also hoping to start work on a presentation that can be used in secondary schools.

When asked what she would say to other people who would like to do a similar thing, Stephanie said ‘If I can do it, anyone can. Hearing the words ‘mum I’m proud’ makes the months of work all worthwhile. Even if you go into just one school you are raising awareness of allergies to those who may not know much about them’.

We can’t thank Stephanie enough for all the amazing work she has been doing. Here at the Anaphylaxis Campaign, we think Stephanie is an inspiration and cannot wait to see her continue her fantastic work!

Aadam talks to us about how some careful forward planning and having a plan led to him going on the trek of a lifetime through the Wahabi desert

by

Travelling to the far corners of the world has never been more accessible; the thought of being able to experience new cultures, push yourself out of your comfort zone and take on ‘bucket list’ style challenges has seen some of us reaching for the passport and packing a bag. However, when you’re living with a severe allergy to nuts, going on a trip of a lifetime can be a daunting prospect.

Going on a ten-day trek through the Wahabi desert would be a challenge for most of us with 4am wake up calls, five hours of walking a day and being miles away from civilisation. 16-year-old Aadam had another thing to think about on top on this, a severe allergy to nuts. Aadam is a pupil at The Manchester Grammar School, when we asked why he chose this school trip Aadam’s response was simple “I hadn’t been on a trek like this and I wanted to make the most of this opportunity”. Aadam had been on many of his school’s trips in the past including visits to New York, Spain and Washington DC. This however was a new ball game and one that required some incredibly careful planning.

First of all, how would Aadam store his life saving medication? Aadam knew that his medication needed to be stored at a certain temperature in an air tight container and opened each night to let fresh cool air into the flask; “I kept my adrenaline pen and anti-histamine in a flask, a really good flask”. Aadam’s mum Rozina had an idea to test whether or not the flask would work and with the help of the biology department at the school they put its ability to the test; ”I knew the biology department had an incubator, we decided to put the flask in the incubator at 30 degrees for 8 hours”, Aadam said. The test was a success and Aadam was over the first hurdle. Anaphylaxis Campaign always recommends speaking to your GP or pharmacist before you travel regarding your specific medication*

With Aadam trekking for five hours non-stop a day it was recommended that he would need to consume 2,800 calories. Aadam’s friends all knew about his allergies and as a precaution for his safety, the school had requested that no tree nuts were to be brought on the trip. However this couldn’t be said for the food being prepared locally.

Originally the plan was for Aadam’s dad, who is based in Dubai, to go to Oman and speak to the Bedouin cooks about the food. However, due to the absence of ingredients labelling on locally sourced food, a lack of understanding around food allergies and a language barrier it was soon realised that this would not be possible. Plan A had not been successful, and it was clear that Aadam would need to bring 10 day’s worth of food to the desert.

Aadam and mum Rozina looked into a few options including dehydrated food before finding Expedition Foods, a company that produced pre-packed trek food in a nut-free environment. The food was transportable and all Aadam needed to do was add water. Aadam and Rozina sat down before the trip and put together a calendar to mark out what Aadam would eat each day to make sure he was getting the correct calorie intake and having a good variety of tastes. Aadam also tried every meal before he went with mum Rozina saying “I wanted to see every meal he was taking pass his lips” Plan C was a success and Aadam was ready to go on a trek of a life time!

For Aadam, the best things about the trip were having fun with his friends and the walking they did each day. While in the Wahabi desert Aadam visit a Bedouin school and stayed overnight in a Bedouin house. When asked if he was nervous about going into the desert with a severe allergy Aadam answered “prevention is key, so instead of dealing with the problem prevent it from happening” incredibly wise words!

Aadam’s advice if you’re considering travelling with an allergy is be prepared! Have a plan A,B and C “You can’t just rock up on the day and hope everything will be ok you need to take all the necessary precautions”.

We’re so grateful to Aadam for sharing his story with us and his top tips for travelling and we look forward to seeing what other adventures Aadam does in the future!

*We always recommend speaking to your GP and Pharmacist before travelling with a severe allergy or anaphylaxis. All patients are different, and specific cases need specific advice. There is no substitute for good medical advice provided by a medical professional.

Taking part in Orange Wig Day is a truly family affair for the Moreton family

by

Orange Wig Day is the biggest and brightest day in the annual calendar of the Anaphylaxis Campaign as people from across the UK wear distinctive orange wigs at home, work and school to raise awareness about severe allergies and anaphylaxis. Getting involved was truly a family affair this year for nurse Lucy and her children, 10-year-old Caleb and 6-year-old Emily.

The Moreton family have a personal reason to be passionate about allergy awareness; as Lucy explains “My daughter Emily was diagnosed with a dairy allergy at around three months old, and then during the process of weaning had multiple allergic reactions to wheat before we figured out what was causing them. Just this year we have established that Emily has thankfully outgrown her dairy and soya allergy, and can now tolerate baked egg, but as you can imagine, it has been quite a journey getting to this point, and we’re not there yet!”

Caleb was determined to take part in Orange Wig Day to support his sister and didn’t let having to take his SAT exams on the 18th May hold him back! He asked that his school could take part a week early so he didn’t miss out.

Lucy said “Caleb’s fundraising total was £285.00 in the end, he was quite overwhelmed with the support he received and is now feeling very proud of himself. He certainly got some attention at school, his friends thought it was great that he ‘actually did it!’

We’re really proud of him for not just raising the money, but for raising awareness of the seriousness of food allergies amongst his fellow students. It was also great to see so many staff and pupils wearing orange on Friday for their ‘allergy awareness day!’

Armed with knowledge gained from completing an Anaphylaxis Campaign ‘train the trainer’ AllergyWise course, Lucy, who is a registered nurse with a background in A&E and also a Healthcare Member of the Anaphylaxis Campaign, held a series of sessions at Caleb’s school called ‘how to be an allergy hero’ with the support of her sister. Around 420 children learned how to be allergy aware.

Lucy said: “It really was lovely to see how every single one of the children seemed to understand the significance of what we were telling them. We were asked lots of really good questions and heard lots of stories about their own experiences of food allergies, whether it was the child themselves, or someone they knew. I had some lovely feedback from the teachers following their session and many of them enjoyed sharing their new understanding with the children while we were there on Friday.”

If that wasn’t enough, Lucy also got her work colleagues involved with Orange Wig Day raising over £118 through a bake sale and holding anaphylaxis training too. It’s amazing to see how this passionate family are helping the Anaphylaxis Campaign to raise awareness about severe allergies in their community.

Young creative launches allergy blog to coincide with national anaphylaxis awareness day

by

Creative for Ted Baker Daniel Kelly, aged 25, has launched an allergy blog to try and break people’s stigma about what it is like living with a severe food allergy. The release is planned to coincide with Orange Wig Day, the national day of anaphylaxis awareness organised by the Anaphylaxis Campaign.

The Anaphylaxis Campaign previously supported Daniel, when as a final year student at Huddersfield University, he created an allergy magazine titled ‘May Contain’ which aimed to increase awareness of severe allergy and bring it into the modern consciousness.

Daniel said: “I’ve lived with a severe peanut allergy since the age of 5. The idea for this blog goes back to the summer of 2015 when I designed a food allergy magazine to raise awareness for anaphylaxis. This magazine was created for my final major project at University, I chose the issue to raise awareness of anaphylaxis and other allergies.”

As part of the blog launch, Daniel worked with two artists to illustrate both the wrong and right way to administer an EpiPen®, saying:

“It really annoyed me that in movies they always portray administering the adrenaline auto-injector incorrectly. I wanted to highlight this issue in a humorous way, and also show the public how to use the adrenaline auto-injector correctly.

I was very fortunate and thankful to the illustrators for being involved in this project, as I didn’t have any budget – as I say, it was a personal project. However, two of my favourite illustrators wanted to get involved to raise awareness, and they were just as excited as me about it. Both Thomas Hedger and Anastasia Yevtushenko both have a very distinct and interesting style, that’s both direct at portraying a message while also containing elements of humour.

When I contacted Thomas, I didn’t realise that he was an allergy sufferer as well and carried around an adrenaline auto-injector. He knew exactly what I wanted to achieve. It also made me realise that it’s such a small world – more people that you might think carry an adrenaline auto-injector with them.”

Lynne Regent, Chief Executive of the Anaphylaxis Campaign, said:

“I was very impressed with the quality of the ‘May Contain’ magazine Daniel produced as part of his university project a few years ago. I am delighted that Daniel is continuing to use his graphic design skills to raise awareness about severe allergies to coincide with the Anaphylaxis Campaign’s national day of anaphylaxis awareness, Orange Wig Day.

Teenagers and young people are a particular risk group of dying as a result of a severe allergic reaction, which is why we worked so hard to get our Take the Kit film made to highlight the importance of always carrying emergency medication. If you are prescribed adrenaline auto-injectors, make sure you know how and when to use them; they may save your life. Our free online AllergyWise courses are a great resource to help with your training.”

You can view Daniel’s allergy blog at www.may-contain.com and reach him on Twitter and Instagram @maycontain_uk.

Meet Professor Aziz Shiekh who studies how and why diseases occur in different groups of people

by

In celebration of #WorldAllergyWeek, and as the NHS celebrates its 70th Birthday #NHS70, we are sharing stories from our Healthcare Professional Members about their work. Professor Aziz Shiekh specialises in the field of epidemiology, the study of how often diseases occur in different groups of people and why.

Aziz trained in Physiology and Medicine, graduating from University College, London in 1990 and 1993.  After completing his training in general practice, Aziz decided to pursue an academic career specialising in the field of epidemiology.

Since August 2003 Aziz has held the post of Chair in Primary Care Research & Development in the Centre for Population Health Sciences at The University of Edinburgh and since 2011 he is Research Director in the Centre for Population Health Sciences at the University of Edinburgh.

Aziz’s research interests include epidemiology and primary care management of asthma and allergic disorders, medical errors and patient safety and the intriguing relationship between religion, culture and health.

Meet former army combat medic David Holden who now puts his skills to use teaching first aid

by

In celebration of #WorldAllergyWeek, and as the NHS celebrates its 70th Birthday #NHS70, we are sharing stories from our Healthcare Professional Members about their work. David previously worked as an army combat medic and whilst he was stationed in Hong Kong, experienced first hand how quickly a severe reaction can progress.

David was sat with a friend just 50 metres from the medical centre. His friend was bitten by a centipede halfway down the outside of his little finger and, within seconds, the finger began to swell. David suggested they return to the medical centre and by the time they had travelled the 50 metre distance the whole of his arm had almost doubled in size. David quickly gave him an injection and within a few hours his condition improved. This highl

 

ighted to David how rapidly things can become very serious for people having severe allergic reactions.

David is now a first aid tutor who trains many paediatric practitioners and workplace first aiders to provide the quick response required when dealing with anaphylaxis.

He says “As a First Aid Tutor who trains many paediatric practitioners and workplace first aiders I am aware of the quick response that is required when dealing with anaphylaxis. I have seen first-hand how fast someone with a severe reaction can go downhill.”

 

 

 

 

Emma talks about how a stormtrooper suit is the perfect place to keep lifesaving medication

by

The world of costuming or cosplay is big in the USA at events like ComicCon, and steadily growing in popularity in the UK, as people enjoy dressing up in their spare time as characters from a book, film or video game. However, when you’re living with latex allergy, going to a fun event like this can pose a serious risk.

“A lot of the Star Wars suits were made in the 1970s and 1980s very cheaply, and latex was a cheap material at the time, so it features in a lot of places. The cybermen from Dr Who are also covered with latex, it’s painted over the whole suit!” explains Anaphylaxis Campaign supporter Emma, from Bolton.

Living with natural rubber latex allergy can be tough, as latex is part of thousands of everyday items like erasers, tyres, sports equipment and even calculator or remote-control buttons. For avid Star Wars fan Emma, her severe allergy posed an extra challenge when she became part of the UK Garrison one of the foremost Star Wars costuming groups in the UK.

“When you are part of the UK Garrison, your costume must be screen accurate, and this was a real problem for me because the proper gloves are made of latex. The gloves also have armour on them, which is also made of latex, so I had to have some customised out of silicon. And the costumes are held together by press studs, held in place by a strong glue, and a lot of glues are latex based.”

Emma and her son are ready for action!

Thankfully some friends were on hand to help Emma adapt her suit, so she could join in with the UK Garrison’s activities, though the process did take about four months to complete. By taking sensible precautions, Emma can fully participate at events, explaining “when we do a troop, and someone asks me to help them with their suit, I always wear a pair of latex-free gloves and make sure my hands are covered up.”

It also turned out a stormtrooper suit is the perfect place to keep Emma’s lifesaving medication. She says “I carry my adrenaline pens everywhere. It turns out that on the back of the suit there is a piece called a Thermal Detonator Canister which is the perfect size to store them in once you take the cap off. A friend also suggested putting a gap in my suit which means that I’m able to inject without taking off my armour.”

For Emma, one of the best things about costuming is raising money for charities and good causes. Emma nominated the Anaphylaxis Campaign to receive a donation from the UK Garrison, for which we are very grateful. Emma explained “When I was first told I had to carry adrenaline, the Anaphylaxis Campaign website helped so much in answering my questions. And its not just me that’s been helped, its my employers and family too.”

Emma’s advice if you’re considering wearing a costume for any event is to check the material is suitable for you. She added “unfortunately, you do have to spend a lot of time ringing manufacturers. Do take care at somewhere like Comic Con events too because a lot of costumes have latex in.”

We’re so grateful to Emma for sharing her story with us and her top tips for costuming. We had to finish by asking what her favourite Star Wars character is. “Darth Vader,” she laughs, “I love the bad guys!”