'Bring a dog' - South Tyneside grandma leads fundraising walk for childhood food allergy research
“Our world changed forever when our grandchildren experienced allergic reactions. We had been so careful.”
A South Tyneside grandmother is taking steps to raise awareness of the dangers of childhood food allergies by holding a fundraising stroll to boost research and support.
And Mirabel Lavelle, 62, from Whitburn, will lead by example when her 3.5-kilometre Allergy Buddy Walk gets underway at 10am on Sunday, October 4,
Two of her grandchildren suffered from a food allergy, with one having his life saved by paramedics after he suffered a severe anaphylactic shock as a baby.
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It inspired married Mirabel, who was working as a teacher, to learn in depth about food allergies and she now works as an educator, including in schools and businesses.
Mirabel has set a walk fundraising target of £1,000 as she bids to heighten the public’s knowledge of the risk of wrong food consumption and cross contamination.
She hopes up to 100 people will take part in the family-friendly trek at Bonner's Field, Bishopwearmouth, Sunderland.
Participants are encouraged to bring their dogs but they must be kept on leads.
Money raised during the less than two-hour event will go to Natasha’s Foundation, established by the parents of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, 15, from London.
Natasha, whose dog was named Buddy, died in 2016 after eating a baguette which contained hidden sesame seeds to which she was allergic.
Campaigning by her mum and dad, Tanya and Nadim Ednan-Laperouse, now awarded OBEs, led in 2019 to the passing by Parliament of Natasha’s Law.
It came into effect two years later and requires full ingredient labelling for pre-packed foods for direct sale.
Mirabel said: “Our world changed forever when our grandchildren experienced allergic reactions. We had been so careful.
“When it first happened to us, I tried to find out where we could go for help and advice to keep the children safe.
“The advice I found at Natasha’s Foundation was very intuitive and backed up by sound medical knowledge.
“But more needs to be done. For example, if you go for a walk and stop to eat or drink, sometimes the place can’t promise that the food served is allergy safe.
“They will let you know that their chicken served doesn’t have salmonella but not whether you’re likely to be allergic to it.
“Sometimes they cannot guarantee that the food will be free from your allergen. That’s just not good enough.
“I’ve met Tanya and Nadim twice and they are amazing people. Their daughter unfortunately is gone, but they are doing what they do for other people. They have big hearts.”
Natasha’s Foundation works to prevent and erase allergic disease and funds cutting-edge medical research and education programmes.
It is behind an ongoing OIT, or Oral Immunotherapy research programme into childhood food allergies.
The project, at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle and several other UK health centres, is close to ending and results will then be revealed.
It is attempting to desensitise children of their allergy by giving them small amounts of the food they are allergic to, gradually building up their tolerance.
Mirabel hopes the programme will lead to OIT treatment, which can cost £7,000 per allergy, becoming available on the NHS.
The walk is capped at 100 people and those wishing to take part must first register and donate at Mirabel’s JustGiving page.
More information is at www.justgiving.com/page/mirabel-lavelle-1?utm_medium=FA&utm_source=CL