Fiona Woodgate, from Tonbridge, is running a coffee morning to help others affected by severe allergies, or ‘anaphylaxis’.
Food allergies are thought to affect around 5-8% of children and 2-4% of adults. NHS hospital in England dealt with over 20,000 admissions for allergies in the 12 months between February 2013 and February 2014 and every year around 20 people will die from anaphylaxis.
Fiona’s coffee morning is run in conjunction with the Anaphylaxis Campaign, the only UK-wide charity to support people with severe, life threatening allergies.
Fiona said, “I’m hosting the coffee morning because living with severe allergies, whether allergic yourself or as a carer for someone else with anaphylaxis, can be really difficult and have a profound impact on your daily life. It can cause a great deal of stress and anxiety – particularly if it’s a child with anaphylaxis you’re caring for. In the beginning, you worry that anything they eat could threaten their life. Helping others is, for me, a great way to regain some of the control you feel you’ve lost and provide some tangible support to those who are finding it hard to cope.”
Anaphylaxis Campaign CEO, Lynne Regent said, “It’s brilliant that Fiona has decided to run a coffee morning for us in Tonbridge. Many people in the general population do not understand just how serious allergy and anaphylaxis can be. Coffee mornings, like the one Fiona is running, provide a vital touch point for affected families and individuals and are a really positive way for them to support each other. ”
The meeting will be on 16th July. Email [email protected] to find out more or book your place. You can also follow ‘The Anaphylaxis Campaign’ on Facebook and on Twitter @anaphylaxiscoms for more details about other coffee morning or groups.