Latest news with #MaxineNorth
Daily Mail
26-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Warning as 'healthy' 20 year-old is killed by vegetarian ready meal: 'Within 10 minutes she was struggling to breathe'
A grieving mother has warned parents of children with allergies to always be prepared for a deadly reaction—after her 'beautiful' daughter died days after eating a contaminated ready meal. Jess North, 20, from West Sussex, died on 14 May 2021, five days after suffering a lethal reaction to peanuts that were in a ready meal that she had safely eaten before without problems. Within 10 minutes of consuming 'a few mouthfuls' of the sweet potato dish, and having left the house to visit friends, Jess called her mother to tell her she was having difficulty breathing. She attempted to use her Epipen—an autoinjector of adrenaline that relieves extreme allergic reactions—the dose was too low to achieve the desired effect. The keen athlete had never had to use the emergency treatment before, which meant her prescription had not been updated since she was a child, when the required amount was far lower. Despite efforts to attempt to save her by doctors at St Richards hospital in Chichester, she died five days later after scans showed no brain activity. Now her mother Maxine, 59, has vowed to raise awareness of the dangers of severe allergies, and will be attempting physical challenges to generate funds for The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation. Recalling the day of the fatal reaction, when her world 'fell apart', she told The Argus: 'I was 20 minutes from dishing up the Sunday roast when Jess decided that she didn't want the meat that was on the menu. 'The kitchen was a hive of activity, so I asked her to look in the freezer to see if there was something that she could have in its place. 'She pulled out a pre-made shop bought sweet potato dish saying that she had it before.' While she was aware the meal could contain peanuts, she'd eaten it previously without suffering a reaction, leading her to believe she'd be safe. 'Once seated for dinner Jess took a couple of mouthfuls of the sweet potato and said she didn't like it, pushed it to one side and ate the vegetables,' Maxine added. Then she went upstairs, gathered her things and jumped in the car to make the short drive to meet a friend. Within 10 minutes, Jess called her mother to say she was struggling to breathe—leading Maxine to be immediately convinced that she was having an allergic reaction. 'She was near Arundel on the A27, so I told her to pull over and administer her EpiPen', Maxine said. Maxine also told Jess to call 999 as soon as she had administered the EpiPen, in line with NHS guidelines. By the time her parents got there, paramedics were already at the scene. Maxine continued: 'I have no recollection of how my husband and I got [to Jess]. It's a complete blur.' Jess was then rushed to St Richards hospital in Chichester as the paramedics fought to keep her alive after she stopped breathing twice on route. 'We had to wait for what seemed like an eternity while they stabilised Jess,' Maxine said. Jess was on life-support for three days before her doctors felt she was strong enough to undergo an MRI to determine the extent of the damage to her brain. A life-threatening allergic reaction, known as anaphylaxis, occurs when the immune system mistakenly overreacts and releases a flood of chemicals that send the body into shock, stopping patients from breathing. As well as rapid organ failure, this can restrict oxygen to the brain, resulting in lethal brain damage. Other common symptoms of anaphylaxis include swelling of the throat and tongue, difficulty swallowing, coughing, feeling tired, feeling faint or fainting and blue, grey or pale skin. Maxine said: 'Doctors couldn't reassure us as to the damage t had been done until she woke up'. The next morning, doctors started to take Jess off of medication, hoping that she would wake up so that they could run further tests. But Jess didn't show any signs of consciousness. The medical team carried out another MRI which revealed that there was no brain activity. Jess' parents were then informed by doctors that there was nothing else they could do to help. 'I can't remember much from that point,' said Maxine. 'All I knew was my beautiful baby had gone and our life had changed forever.' Remarkably, Jess had never had a severe allergic reaction before this point. 'It is always a worry, any allergy parent will tell you that,' said Maxine. 'But it didn't define us. 'We would always ask for an allergen list and would be extremely careful, but we still lived. We went away to places like Thailand, and it was okay'. Now, Maxine is urging GP practices to start sending reminder alerts to patients with severe allergies to check their EpiPens are the correct dosage. Jess' tragic death comes amid a new dawn in the treatment of childhood allergies. Earlier this year, experts at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London announced the promising results of a life-changing trial that saw 14 of 21 people with peanut allergy able to eat peanuts every day without a reaction. The desensitising process—known as oral immunotherapy—works by getting sufferers to consume microscopic amounts of peanuts, gradually increasing their dosage to build up immunity. Chief Investigator Professor Stephen Till, Professor of Allergy at King's College London, said: 'Constant fear of life-threatening reactions place a huge burden on people with peanut allergy. 'Although peanut immunotherapy is known to be effective in children, this trial provides preliminary evidence that adults can also be desensitised and that this improves quality of life.' About one in every 200 adults in the UK—0.5 per cent—has a nut allergy. Experts estimate that 10 Brits die from an allergic reaction to food each year, with 5,000 people hospitalised for severe reactions. Children with allergies are considered to be especially at risk from severe reactions as, due to their smaller body size, small amounts of allergens provoke bigger reactions.
The Sun
26-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Mum's warning after daughter, 20, with severe peanut allergy died from eating a ‘couple of mouthfuls' of ready meal
A HEARTBROKEN mum has issued an urgent warning after her daughter, 20, died after eating a few mouthfuls of a ready meal. Jess North, who had a severe peanut allergy, tragically died from an anaphylactic reaction on May 9, 2021. 5 5 5 Devastated Mum Maxine, from Aldingbourne, West Sussex, told how she was preparing a Sunday roast when Jess decided she wanted something different. The youngster opted for a frozen sweet potato dish and said she had "had it before". Jess assumed she would be fine eating the ready meal, as she had done previously, despite the fact it did contain nuts. Maxine told The Argus her daughter had only consumed "a couple of mouthfuls" before ditching her plate. She was going out to meet a pal and kissed her parents goodbye before jumping in her car. "Within 10 minutes I received a phone call from Jess saying that she was having difficulty breathing," said Maxine. "The fear in her voice triggered something inside me and I knew that she was having an allergic reaction. "She was near Arundel on the A27, so I told her to pull over and administer her EpiPen, something she had never done before, but she knew how to use it. " The emotional parent told how she rushed with her husband to find their daughter. Meanwhile a passerby had seen Jess struggling at the roadside and thought she was having an asthma attack. My son texted me a picture of a snack he was enjoying… then his phone went silent – he'll never be the same again They gave her an inhaler before realising the 20-year-old was signalling for her EpiPen. "She was disoriented so the person took charge of the EpiPen and administered it into Jess' arm when in fact it should have gone into her thigh," continued Maxine. Paramedics eventually transported Jess to St Richards hospital in Chichester. After three days on life support, an MRI scan was performed and doctors told her family they wouldn't be able to assess damage until she woke up. The signs of an allergic reaction and anaphylaxis + what to do SYMPTOMS of an allergy usually occur within minutes of contact with with the offending food or trigger, but they can also come on up to one hour later. Most allergic reactions are mild but they can also be moderate or severe. Anaphylaxis is the most severe form of allergic reaction which can be life threatening. In some cases, anaphylaxis symptoms lead to collapse and unconsciousness and, on rare occasions, can be fatal so it's important to know how to recognise them and act quickly. Mild to moderate symptoms include: Itchy mouth, tongue and throat Swelling of lips, around the eyes or face Red raised itchy rash (often called nettle rash, hives or urticaria) Vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhoea Runny nose and sneezing Severe symptoms of anaphylaxis include: Swelling of your throat and tongue Difficulty breathing or breathing very fast Difficulty swallowing, tightness in your throat or a hoarse voice Wheezing, coughing or noisy breathing Feeling tired or confused Feeling faint, dizzy or fainting Skin that feels cold to the touch Blue, grey or pale skin, lips or tongue – if you have brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet Anaphylaxis and its symptoms should be treated as a medical emergency. Follow these steps if you think you or someone you're with is having an anaphylactic reaction: Use an adrenaline auto-injector (such as an EpiPen) if you have one – instructions are included on the side of the injector. Call 999 for an ambulance and say that you think you're having an anaphylactic reaction. Lie down – you can raise your legs, and if you're struggling to breathe, raise your shoulders or sit up slowly (if you're pregnant, lie on your left side). If you have been stung by an insect, try to remove the sting if it's still in the skin. If your symptoms have not improved after 5 minutes, use a second adrenaline auto-injector. Do not stand or walk at any time, even if you feel better. Sources: Allergy UK, NHS They tried to bring Jess off life support the following day, but the youngster showed no signs of becoming responsive. A further MRI scan tragically determined there was no brain activity. "I can't remember much from that point, all I knew was my beautiful baby had gone and our life had changed forever," said Maxine. The brave mum has since been on a mission to raise awareness over severe allergies - and in particular the lack of up to date epipens. After Jess' death, the family discovered she had a junior Epipen, instead of an adult one. Maxine's campaign has already seen her own GP start sending reminder alerts to patients with severe allergies. She has also been raising money for The Natasha Allergy Foundation, known as NARFS, which was set up in memory of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse. Natasha, 15, who was allergic to sesame, tragically died in 2016 after eating a Pret a Manger baguette containing the ingredient. Maxine will be completing a charity abseil down Peacehaven Cliffs in July. Donations will be put towards funding for Kitt Medical Devices with life-saving anaphylaxis treatment in schools and public places. A link to Maxine's GoFundMe can be found here. This comes after a traumatised mum told how her allergic son texted a picture of the snack he was enjoying before his phone went silent forever. George Cadman-Ithell sent a haunting message to his mum, Louise Cadman, with a picture of the cured sausages and wrote "these are nice". But just three minutes later, the 25-year-old sent a panicked text which read: "F***, they contain walnuts". Louise replied: "You've not eaten any have you?" to which her son said: "Yes". George hadn't spotted the "aux noix" labelling on the salami packaging, which also stated "with walnuts" in English. The young man had run home from the shops in just under 10 minutes, and husband Joe Nolan had administered an EpiPen. But tragically George went into cardiac arrest and his brain was starved of oxygen for 26 minutes, causing severe brain damage. He remains in a vegetative state at a rehabilitation unit at Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow, North West London. Elsewhere, a 12-year-old schoolgirl died suddenly after drinking a milkshake and her heartbroken family paid tribute. Mia Shay St Hilaire suffered a severe allergic reaction after visiting Pop Inn Café, in Bermondsey, London, with her aunt and sister in August 2023. The young girl, who had a tree nut allergy, was rushed to hospital after ingesting the contaminated drink but tragically died. Mia's devastated parents, Adrian and Chanel said: "We think of Mia every day and knowing her death could potentially have been prevented so simply, only adds to how heartbroken we are as a family.' Southwark Council's food and safety team discovered the blender used to make the 12-year-old's milkshake had not been cleaned properly. An investigation found traces of almonds and hazelnuts in the machine from a previous drink. CCTV evidence showed the café operator, Baris Yucel, failing to clean the blender before preparing Mia's beverage. He was given a 100-hour community order and fined £18,000. Natasha's Law By Ben Griffiths THE family of an allergy sufferer who died after eating a poorly-labelled Pret sandwich on a BA jet have told how they have forgiven the high street giant. Grieving Nad and Tanya Ednan-Laperouse, whose daughter Natasha died in 2016, have even praised the sandwich chain for leading the way in implementing new packaging rules. Natasha's Law - named after the 15-year-old - requires businesses to list every ingredient on pre-packaged food. In an exclusive interview, the family spoke of their "great pride" at getting the historic new regulations in place. They mean an item like the artichoke, olive and tapenade baguette, which Natasha died after eating, will now have to list all 34 ingredients - instead of the THREE it displayed five years ago. Speaking to The Sun on Sunday, Tanya, who with Nad has won an OBE for her work in getting the law passed, said: "I know that Natasha would be ever so pleased this law is coming into force and we've managed to get it passed. "You can't do anything if you are filled with hate so we have forgiven Pret. It doesn't make up for the fact she is not here now but Pret have actually led the way on changing their packaging. "They've spent millions getting their packaging in line and educating staff on allergies. "The new law means tens of millions of sandwiches across the UK will now have to detail everything it contains from the small trace of ingredients." Natasha was on her way to Nice, in France, for a summer holiday with Nad and her best friend Bethany Holloway in July 2016 when she bought the baguette from Pret a Manger at Heathrow Airport. It contained hidden sesame seeds, something she was allergic to but the ingredient was not labelled on the packet. Shortly after take-off, Natasha had a reaction. Nad rushed her to the toilet and gave her two shots of adrenaline from her EpiPens which he expected would fight off the reaction. Her last words were 'I can't breathe, I'm suffocating, help me Daddy', before she suffered a fatal heart attack. An inquest in 2018 into Natasha's death blasted Pret for its 'inadequate' labelling and fault in Natasha's death, making the company vow to make a 'meaningful change'. Nad and Tanya launch their mission to get a law changed after the inquest. It now means any fresh item prepared on the premises of sale will now have to list every ingredient it contains. To visit the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation go to 5 5
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Mum describes moment daughter suffered fatal allergic reaction from frozen dinner
A mother whose daughter tragically died from a severe allergic reaction has told of the horrific moment as she campaigns to prevent further deaths. Jess North, who was just 20 years old, died after unknowingly eating a food that contained nuts which triggered a fatal anaphylactic reaction. Speaking for the first time publicly since the loss of her daughter, Jess's mother Maxine described the devastating evening at their Aldingbourne home: 'Our world fell apart on Sunday 9th May 2021. "I was 20 minutes from dishing up the Sunday roast when Jess decided that she didn't want the meat that was on the menu. (Image: Maxine North) "The kitchen was a hive of activity, so I asked her to look in the freezer to see if there was something that she could have in its place. "She pulled out a pre-made shop bought sweet potato dish saying that she had it before." Jess had a peanut allergy. Tragically the dish did contain nuts but as Jess had eaten it before she thought it was ok. Maxine added: "Once seated for dinner Jess took a couple of mouthfuls of the sweet potato and said she didn't like it, pushed it to one side and ate the vegetables. "She ate quickly as she was going out to meet a friend for the evening which she was looking forward to. "She went upstairs, gathered her things, kissed me and her father goodbye and drove off. "Within 10 minutes I received a phone call from Jess saying that she was having difficulty breathing. (Image: Maxine North) "The fear in her voice triggered something inside me and I knew that she was having an allergic reaction. "She was near Arundel on the A27, so I told her to pull over and administer her epipen, something she had never done before, but she knew how to use it. "Once administered I told her to dial 999, as they would be able to locate her exact position through her phone. "It takes about 8 minutes to get to Arundel from our home, I have no recollection of how my husband and I got there. "It's a complete blur. En route we also dialled the emergency services but had no idea where her location was. "They told us that an ambulance had been dispatched to an emergency in Arundel, but they couldn't say what or who it was for. (Image: Maxine North) "In the meantime, Jess managed to pull into a side road where somebody saw her from their window struggling and went out to help. "The person thought she was having an asthma attack and rushed to get their inhaler. Once the person returned, Jess motioned towards her epipens. "She was disoriented so the person took charge of the epipen and administered it into Jess' arm when in fact it should have gone into her thigh. "When we arrived on the scene the paramedics were there. "A scene I will never forget. Jess was taken to St Richards in Chichester. "We had to wait for what seemed like an eternity while they stabilized Jess. She had stopped breathing twice on-route. "For the first 3 days she was on life support. "On the third day they performed an MRI scan to determine what was going on. "That evening we were told that she was fine, but they couldn't reassure us what damage had been done until she woke up. "The next day they slowly began to withdraw the medication for Jess to wake up, but they soon became concerned as she wasn't showing any signs of doing so. "Another MRI scan was performed at the bedside, and we were told later that day that in fact there was no brain activity. "I can't remember much from that point, all I knew was my beautiful baby had gone and our life had changed forever." Jess's parents were then told by doctors there was nothing more they could do. Maxine said the loss of Jess has deeply affected everyone who knew and described Jess as someone who 'always championed the underdog'. Despite living with the severe allergy throughout her life, Jess never allowed it to define her, her mother said. Maxine emphasised that Jess faced this challenge with remarkable resilience. She explained: 'It is always a worry, any allergy parent will tell you that. 'But it did not define us, but we would always ask for an allergen list and would be extremely careful but we still lived life. "We went away to places like Thailand, and it was ok." After experiencing first hand the devastating impact of severe allergies, Maxine has become an advocate for allergy awareness. Over the past few years, Maxine has not only raised funds to drive change but has also implemented it within her own community. Upon discovering that many allergy sufferers lacked access to up to date EpiPens, she reached out to her GP to explore solutions and prevent such situations in the future. Maxine said: 'My GP has now started sending alerts to patients with severe allergies. 'Jess had a junior EpiPen instead of an adult EpiPen. (Image: Maxine North) 'They now contact people each year to make sure their EpiPens are up to date, sending them an alert. As well as driving change locally - Maxine has dedicated herself to raising funds for charities that advocate for better allergy education and policy change, in particular The Natasha Allergy Foundation also known as NARFS. To further her mission, this July Maxine is undertaking an abseil down the Peacehaven Cliffs. Proceeds from the abseil will support NARF, as well as the installation of Kitt Medical Devices which are life-saving anaphylaxis treatment systems in schools and public spaces. These devices ensure that emergency allergy medication is readily available, potentially saving lives in critical situations. A link to Maxine's upcoming abseil fundraiser can be found here :
