Support for those at risk of severe allergies

Then a new local volunteer-led support group, for people in Sheffield at risk of severe allergies, may be just the support you need.

The new group, being run in conjunction with the Anaphylaxis Campaign, has been launched by Sarah Gore, of Wisewood. Mum-of-two Sarah didn't know where to turn when he son, now aged three, was diagnosed with multiple allergies.

'It can be incredibly scary to receive a diagnosis like that, especially when it's a small child,' Sarah said.

'There's only so much the hospital can advise you on, in terms of the facts, and then they send you away, and you're left thinking '˜now what?' What can he eat? What should we avoid? What about school, and socialising and all the day-to-day aspects? It's incredibly daunting and isolating.

'I contact the Anaphylaxis Campaign to see if there was a support group I could attend and was told there wasn't, but then they suggested that I could try and start one up.'

So that's what Sarah did, launching the Anaphylaxis Campaign Sheffield Support Group earlier this year.

'We've had four meetings so far, with between six to ten people attending each one, and about 20 people on our Facebook page. We've had people with allergies attend, as well as parents and family members, and it's been really good to be able to compare stories, share experience, and seek advice from one another.'

The UK is one of the top three countries in the world for the highest incidence of allergy, and about 7 million people have allergies severe enough to require specialist allergy care.

Anaphylaxis Campaign CEO, Lynne Regent, said: 'Many people do not understand just how serious allergy and anaphylaxis can be. Our support groups, like the one Sarah is running, provide a vital touch point for affected families and individuals.'

Visit Anaphylaxis Campaign Support Group Sheffield on Facebook for details of future meetings.