“I’ve been asked to leave restaurants and sign disclaimers”

Allergies are often associated with childhood — but they can develop at any stage of life. For Hong, that moment came at 30, when she was diagnosed with serious allergies. Almost overnight, she had to completely rethink her diet, with a profound impact on her daily life — made harder by a lack of understanding and support from others.

Hong shares her experience to raise awareness of adult-onset allergies, and to help others better understand how to offer the support that’s needed.

Hong’s experience

Hong Zhu, ballet dancer and teacher living in London. Hong is part of our Lived Experience Expert Group (LEEG) — a group of individuals with real, lived experience of serious allergies.

I grew up with a dairy allergy, but as an adult, I developed serious allergies —including anaphylaxis — to shellfish and lipid-transfer proteins(LTPs) commonly found in fruits and vegetables.

I want to raise awareness of serious allergies, and to invite understanding, respect, and kindness for people living with them. Many of us struggle quietly every day — and we truly need support from those around us.

In 2022, I ate prawns — something I used to enjoy without any issue — and suddenly experienced a severe reaction. I was sent to A&E and later was referred to a specialist who prescribed two adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs). A few months later, my specialist discovered that I was also allergic to several LTP-containing foods. It was devastating. Overnight, I had to rethink my entire way of eating after more than 30 years – otherwise it could cost me my life.

Life with serious allergies is challenging. Because of my profession, I train intensively but physical exercise is a sensitive co-factor in my reactions. I now have to plan every meal carefully. I had an incident where I drank a smoothie after dancing and within minutes I developed a swollen throat, difficulty breathing, and dizziness.

Eating out is stressful. I am often scared to mention my allergies. And even when I find courage, the response is not always kind. I’ve been asked to leave the restaurant. I’ve been asked to sign disclaimers. A chef once joked that I should ‘eat more shrimps to cure my allergy’. He didn’t understand the risk, and that night ended with a serious reaction.

These moments have a huge impact on my mental health, more than people realise. Travelling abroad, ordering takeaway, meeting new people — everything comes with an extra layer of fear and calculation.

It has been four years since my diagnosis. I am extremely careful, yet reactions still happen unexpectedly. When they do, I still feel helpless. I still cry. I’m still scared of injecting my AAIs.

But thanks to the strong support of my family, my friends, and my doctor, I keep going. I keep dancing. I keep believing in what I do. And I keep trying to support others who face the same challenges.

The National Allergy Strategy

In two weeks, the UK’s first National Allergy Strategy will launch in Westminster, led by the National Allergy Strategy Group — bringing together professional bodies and charities, including Anaphylaxis UK.

Over the coming days, we’ll be sharing real experiences from across the allergy community — all pointing to one clear need: a coordinated National Allergy Strategy to prevent harm and save lives.

United, we can tackle allergy.

#NationalAllergyStrategy