Help Us Install a Kitt Medical @ Leigh Academy High Halstow
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Three years ago on what should have been a special Mother’s Day, our beautiful son Arlo, who was just two and a half at the time, suffered a severe anaphylactic reaction at home after eating a praline chocolate. We already knew he was allergic to eggs, but we had no idea he was also allergic to hazelnut (and several other tree nuts) until that terrifying moment. His little body reacted to one bite of a Guylian instantly. He started vomiting and swelling up, developed full body hives and a terrible cough. We called an ambulance who took us to A&E and realised our lives would never be the same again…
That day will stay with me forever. The total fear, feeling of helplessness and the subsequent realisation that every single second matters in an emergency like that. Since then, we have lived with the constant anxiety that the wrong snack or an accidental exposure could put Arlo’s life at risk.
Now five years old, Arlo started at High Halstow Primary School last September, and like any parents, all we want is for him to be safe and protected in the place where he spends so much of his time. Due to the severity of his allergies Arlo is required to carry a set of his own Epipens everywhere he goes.
But did you know that...20% of serious allergic reactions to food happen whilst a child is at school and these can happen in someone with no prior history of food allergy.
For a myriad of reasons we believe that spare life-saving adrenaline pens should be available in schools and public places:
- Children/teachers could have their first ever anaphylactic reaction in school from food or an insect sting, for example.
- Adrenaline pens can go out of date quickly, be used wrongly under stressful conditions or occasionally misfire.
- Some people require as many as three or four pens to be administered before the ambulance arrives.
This is why we are coming together to raise funds to install a Kitt Medical emergency anaphylaxis kit at High Halstow Primary School—a wall-mounted medical kit that could mean the difference between life and death for someone having a severe allergic reaction (like Arlo did).
Designed by a company called Kitt Medical who recently featured on Dragon’s Den, the company was founded by a young entrepreneur who has a nut allergy himself and their mission to provide schools (and lots of other public places) with life-saving anaphylaxis kits (that sit on the wall next to defibrillators) as well as accessible training for all staff.
Find out more here: https://kittmedical.com
To achieve this we’ve set ourselves a series of fundraising challenges this spring/summer:
- I (and some of my incredible friends) will be walking 100km throughout April.
- Arlo's dad (Ryan), Aunty (Louise) and Grandad (Roger) will be cycling 70km along the east Kent coast.
- Arlo himself will be cycling 5km around Deangate track—a huge challenge for our superhero! Once we set a date, we would LOVE for you to come along and cheer him on.
- We’re also hoping to organise a local fundraising night with live music—details coming soon!
We are so passionate about making this happen because no parent should have to live in fear every time their child is away from them. No school should have to face a life-threatening emergency without the proper tools and training to respond. Please help us protect our children and give them the safety they deserve.
Every donation, big or small, makes a difference. Thank you for your kindness, support, and generosity.
With love and so much gratitude,
Kirsty x
Organizer
Kirsty Orton
Organizer
England