Anaphylaxis Campaign

Supporting people at risk of severe allergies

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Statement regarding inquest into the death of Habiba Chisthi

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Monday 20th May 2019

We were very saddened to learn of the death of 9-year-old Habiba Chisthi who tragically died on Monday 18th February from anaphylactic shock, two days after suffering a severe allergic reaction.

Habiba was known to have allergies to eggs and nuts and suffered from asthma for which she was prescribed an inhaler. She went into an anaphylactic shock whilst on holiday in Spain, after eating an ice cream with sauce on which contained her known allergen.

Assistant coroner Peter Merchant said: “Clearly, further enquiries will have to be made into the circumstances of her death.”

He adjourned the hearing until a date to be fixed.

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

“What should have been a happy occasion turned into a tragedy and our heartfelt condolences go out to Habiba’s family. Travelling abroad brings additional challenges for those affected by severe allergies and their families and it is important that these are recognised and acknowledged”

We have information and advice about travelling aboard when you or someone you care for have allergies on our website here.

If you have any concerns or questions, please contact our helpline team at [email protected] or call 01252 542029.

For further information, please contact our press office via [email protected]xis.org.uk or call 01252 893864.

Statement regarding conviction appeal of Mohammed Abdul Kuddus following the death of Megan Lee

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Friday 17th May 2019

Mohammed Abdul Kuddus, the takeaway boss found guilty of manslaughter following the death of 15 year old Megan Lee, has won an appeal against his conviction.

After eating takeaway food containing peanuts from the Royal Spice Indian in Hyndburn, Lancashire on Friday 30th December 2016, Megan Lee began experiencing a severe allergic reaction. She was later admitted to Royal Blackburn Hospital but sadly passed away on Sunday 1st January 2017.

Mohammed Abdul Kuddus was given a two-year jail sentence in November 2018, but Court of Appeal judges quashed his “unsafe” conviction on Thursday 16th May 2019.

 

Anaphylaxis Campaign Chief Executive Lynne Regent says: “We are shocked at this decision, and our thoughts go out to Megan’s family during this difficult time. We will continue to work with the food industry to highlight how vital it is that people living with severe allergies are provided with food that is safe for them to eat. It is extremely important that food companies learn from this tragic incident and the implications of getting it wrong”.

 

Sir Brian Leveson, announcing the decision yesterday, said Megan’s order, including the comment about nuts and prawns to highlight her allergies, was seen by takeaway manager Harun Rashid but not passed on to Kuddus. He said: “He knew nothing of the allergy which she had declared. In those circumstances, the conviction for gross negligence manslaughter cannot stand”.

But, he also went on to say: “There is now a general awareness of the potential risks to those who suffer from allergies and, as a result, it should be understood that the courts will rigorously scrutinise the way in which restaurants discharge the duty of care that they owe such customers”.

 

For more information: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-48300528

 

About the Anaphylaxis Campaign

The Anaphylaxis Campaign is the only UK wide charity solely focused on supporting people at risk of severe allergic reactions. We empower people living with severe allergies to be more confidently in control of their lives.

We provide information and support to people living with severe allergies, their families and carers, through our national helpline, volunteer-led local support groups and free online AllergyWise training courses. We also campaign and fundraise to achieve our ultimate aim, to create a safer environment for all people at risk of severe allergies.

If you have any concerns or questions, please contact our helpline team at [email protected] or call 01252 542029.

For further information, please contact our press office via [email protected] or call 01252 893864.

Anaphylaxis Campaign’s statement regarding inquest into the death of Karanbir Cheema

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Friday 10th May 2019

The coroner has ended the inquest on Karanbir Cheema and has delivered her narrative and recommendations.

Our deepest sympathies go out to the family of Karanbir Cheema who passed away following a tragic incident which occurred at William Perkin Church of England High School in Greenford, West London on the 28th June 2017.  Karanbir was known to have severe eczema, bronchial asthma for which he was prescribed an inhaler, and was allergic to milk, peanuts, eggs, gluten and wheat.

Following the outcome from the inquest, the coroner has made a significant number of recommendations as a result of this case. These recommendations affect a number of bodies including the London Ambulance Service, the Hospital Trust and the William Perkin Church of England High School. This is a difficult occasion for the family of Karanbir Cheema, but we understand that the recommendations taken forward will bring about a positive result for those affected by severe allergies.

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

“We were deeply saddened to hear about the death of Karanbir Cheema as a result of this tragic incident. We have actively been supporting his family over this difficult time and have been by their side throughout inquest into his death. The coroner has called for a number of positive actions that we believe will positively benefit the allergic community.’

 We wish to make it clear that the Anaphylaxis Campaign are not legal experts; the primary reasons we attend inquests are to offer support to families, and to identify if there are specific lessons that can be learned to take forward into the work we do to support people at risk of severe allergic reactions.

 

 

Anaphylaxis Campaign’s resources to help schools be allergy aware

As part of our Making Schools Safer Project, we have been in contact with over 26,000 schools in the UK to give them access to our free resources including;

  • Our online e-learning course AllergyWise for Schools which is designed to ensure that all staff:
  • Understand how to safeguard children with allergies.
  • Are fully aware of the signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis.
  • Know how to provide emergency treatment.
  • Our KS1-2 Schools allergy awareness resource pack which is designed to facilitate an allergy awareness session for infant and primary school age children.
  • Our KS3-5 Schools allergy awareness resource pack which is designed to facilitate an allergy awareness presentation for secondary school age children.

The Anaphylaxis Campaign believes it is vital for all schools to not only have training for all staff but to also raise pupil’s awareness of the seriousness of living with a food allergy. We hope our resources will support this and help schools become more allergy aware.

All our schools’ resources are available to view and download on our website:

AllergyWise for Schools

KS1-2 resource pack

KS3-5 resource pack

About the Anaphylaxis Campaign

The Anaphylaxis Campaign is the only UK wide charity solely focused on supporting people at risk of severe allergic reactions. We empower people living with severe allergies to be more confidently in control of their lives.

We provide information and support to people living with severe allergies, their families and carers, through our national helpline, volunteer-led local support groups and free online AllergyWise training courses. We also campaign and fundraise to achieve our ultimate aim, to create a safer environment for all people at risk of severe allergies.

If you have any concerns or questions, please contact our helpline team at [email protected] or call 01252 542029.

For further information, please contact our press office via [email protected] or call 01252 893864.

Statement regarding the death of Lee Darker

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The Anaphylaxis Campaign is saddened to learn of the death of Lee Darker, a 48-year-old pest controller who was stung by a wasp during a routine call out on the 17th September 2017.

An inquest into his death held in Harrogate, North Yorkshire heard that he died after experiencing a severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis after being stung by a wasp. It was noted at the inquest, that Lee had no known allergies and had previously been stung two weeks earlier 8 times but did not suffer any reaction.

The Senior coroner for the western area of North Yorkshire, Robert Turnbull recorded a conclusion of misadventure. He told the hearing: “It’s a tragic outcome. He died as a result of anaphylactic shock. He was going about his business and died not anticipating this would happen.”

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

“We are very saddened to learn about the death of Mr Darker as a result of this tragic accident and our thoughts are with his family and friends as they process the findings from the inquest into his death.

For a small minority of people, an allergy to the venom in a bee or wasp sting can cause a severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis, which can be fatal. If you experience a severe reaction to a bee or wasp sting, it’s important that you are taken to A&E and afterwards visit your GP as soon as possible to discuss treatment options.”

You may not have an allergic reaction the first time you are stung by a wasp or bee but there is a small risk that subsequent stings could lead to a severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis. In the UK, venom anaphylaxis is the second most frequent cause of anaphylaxis outside medical settings and more people are allergic to wasps than bees.

If you are at risk of insect venom anaphylaxis and would like more information and support, please call our national helpline on 01252 542029 or contact [email protected].

 

The Anaphylaxis Campaign partners with the Bee Resistant campaign to raise awareness about insect venom anaphylaxis. The campaign provides information on the symptoms to look out for and the range of avoidance and treatment options available to help reduce the risk:

‘Bee aware’ of the symptoms:

  • Feeling unwell and dizzy
  • Rapidly spreading rash
  • Wheezing and a tight chest
  • Swelling of the airways and throat
  • Weakness (caused by a drop-in blood pressure)
  • Physical collapse

‘Bee resistant’ by taking steps to reduce the risk:

  • Prevention – follow avoidance advice and tips.
  • Treatment – there are a range of treatment options available on the NHS to treat anaphylaxis which include carrying adrenaline auto-injectors and specialist treatments available from hospital-based allergy clinics.

‘Bee in the know’ – find out more:

  • In the event of a serious allergic reaction, call 999 immediately and state “anaphylaxis”.
  • Consult your GP for further information and guidance.

To find out more about the Bee Resistant campaign visit https://beeresistant.com or follow us on Twitter @BeeResistant or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/BeeResistant.

Prescription Charge Increase in England

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The Government has announced that the NHS prescription charge in England is set to increase by 20p to £9.00 from Monday 1st April 2019. The cost of a prescription prepayment certificate for 3 months will remain £29.10 and a prescription prepayment certificate for 12 months will remain £104.

The Anaphylaxis Campaign are part of the Prescription Charges Coalition and are campaigning to extend exemption from prescription charges to all those with long-term conditions in England. The coalition brings together over 40 organisations representing hundreds of thousands of people with numerous long-term health conditions.  We are involved as the current system, created in 1968, is unfair and very out-of-date, with some long-term conditions qualifying people for free prescriptions whilst others do not. This affects us at the Anaphylaxis Campaign because allergy often requires regular and long-term prescriptions which are not exempt from charges despite being essential to day to day quality of life and, in the case of adrenaline injectors, lifesaving.

The impact of paying for prescriptions whilst living with a long-term condition is both serious and widespread as the Prescription Charges Coalition reports show. You can read the reports here.

 

For further information on the Prescription Charges Coalition, and to get involved, visit the website: http://www.prescriptionchargescoalition.org.uk/

You can also show your support or share your experiences via Twitter at @prescriptionCC

 

If you have any questions, please contact our helpline on: 01252 542029 or [email protected]

The Anaphylaxis Campaign is pleased to promote chapter 3 of Leo’s Story’, a short peanut allergy awareness animated film.

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Welcome to Leo’s Story Chapter 3 which brings the latest results from the pan-European APPEAL (Allergy to Peanuts impacting Emotions And Life) Study to life.  The Anaphylaxis Campaign is a member of Team APPEAL which is a large two-phase study that is investigating the psycho-social impact of peanut allergy on the person with the allergy and their family members.

Chapter 3 reveals the daily life and emotional impact this food allergy has on children, young adults and parents. Anxiety, frustration and stress are just some of the emotional impacts that people are feeling. We encourage you to view this story and share with your friends

In the UK it is estimated that around 5 – 8 % of children have a proven food allergy with up to 1 in 55 children having a peanut allergy.

#LeosStory: Watch. Share. Raise awareness.

Chapter 3: Watch the animation on YouTube here.

Chapter 2: Watch the animation on YouTube here.

Chapter 1: Watch the film on YouTube here.

The Anaphylaxis Campaign provides information and support to parents and carers of children at risk of severe allergies through our free helpline and support groups run by dedicated volunteers.

Our helpline team is on hand to answer your questions about allergies and reactions and put your mind at rest over the things concerning you. Contact 01252 542029 or email [email protected] between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday with your allergy problems or questions.