Anaphylaxis Campaign launches new film about its work ? Just in time for 20 year anniversary!

A new short, online film released today on YouTube talks openly about the trials of living with anaphylaxis – severe, life threatening allergy – and promotes the Anaphylaxis Campaign, the charity set up to tackle the issues surrounding the condition.

The film explains the daily struggles faced by those living with the condition and also features appearances from world renowned allergy specialist, Professor John Warner OBE of Imperial College, London and one of the Charity’s celebrity patrons, World Champion and Olympic swimmer Mark Foster.

In the film, Mark Foster speaks candidly about his reasons for getting involved with the Anaphylaxis Campaign’s work, saying, “I became a patron of the Anaphylaxis Campaign in 2009 after a very good friend of mine, Ross Baillie, died in 1999 after a severe reaction.” Ross, aged just 21, was tipped to be amongst the best male hurdlers in the world and his sudden death prompted shock and an out pouring of grief. Ross had a severe nut allergy and Mark was present when the incident that ultimately led to his death occurred – his accidental consumption of a sandwich with a filling containing peanuts. “I don’t have any allergies and I’ve never had any reactions to anything, but it just shows you that even though it’s something so small, something that you don’t even see most of the time…how you can die from it,” the athlete concludes.

Professor Warner, who recently received an OBE and is part of the Anaphylaxis Campaign’s clinical and scientific panel of experts, has been heavily involved in the Charity for a number of years. “This film is a great opportunity to explain the medical causes of the condition and hopefully raise the general population’s understanding of what it means to live with anaphylaxis. There is a real danger posed if people do not take anaphylaxis seriously.”

The film also features the charity’s co-founder, David Reading, speaking about the experience that started it all – the loss of his 17 year old daughter, Sarah, to anaphylaxis. “Along with several other founder members, I launched the Anaphylaxis Campaign in January 1994 after the deaths of several young people. We were all affected in some way by severe, life threatening allergies and our primary objective was to save lives. This film demonstrates the continuing relevance of this aim and brings the charity firmly into the 21^st Century – especially important as next year we celebrate our 20 year anniversary as an organisation.”

The film will be available from Friday 5^th July 2013 and can be found on the Anaphylaxis Campaign’s YouTube channel alongside other great content on allergy and anaphylaxis, as well as on the Campaign’s website, www.anaphylaxis.org.uk. It is hoped that the film will raise awareness of the condition, as well as the Charity’s profile and bring an understanding of the continued importance of supporting the Anaphylaxis Campaign’s work.

View the film here!