A Belfast student with a serious nut allergy is championing allergy awareness and aiming to reduce the risk of anaphylaxis in teenagers.

Eimear O’Rourke has become passionate about teaching young people the importance of speaking up about allergies. She has lived with food allergies since childhood and her journey began at just 10 months old when she had her first severe allergic reaction to peanut butter – an everyday food for many.

After that experience, Eimear was armed with two adrenaline auto-injectors and instructed to avoid all nuts for the rest of her life.

“I had tasted a crust of toast that had peanut butter on it and within minutes I began to have a reaction. My eyes became puffy and almost closed over, a rash developed around my mouth first and then spread over my entire body. According to my mum, my breathing was fine, and everything had settled down after a few hours,” Eimear explained.

As a child, living with allergies was easier for Eimear as her parents could monitor her food and school lunches. However, as she was growing up and started to go out with friends, she experienced a few frightening episodes which made her realise it was now her responsibility to take control and speak up about her allergies.

“When on holidays in Portugal, I ordered an ice cream with what I was told had chocolate sprinkles on top but were actually cashew nut sprinkles. After one spoonful I began to feel the symptoms of an allergic reaction quickly develop; I had a taste in my mouth, a tingling feeling in my throat, my lips and eyes became puffy and swollen” Eimear said.

“Again, I developed an itchy rash over my body and this time I also experienced severe abdominal pain and vomiting. The emergency services were called, and they gave me intravenous (IV) fluids and medication.”

Eimear’s symptoms improved after a couple of hours; however, she remembers a feeling of exhaustion the following day. She then went on to experience a similar reaction at a friend’s 18th birthday party as she explained: “When the food was served, I reached for a chip and after eating it, immediately began to feel the same familiar symptoms; tingling feeling in my throat, facial swelling, itchy skin, and sneezing.

“The following day, I found out a staff member serving the food had eaten a packet of peanuts behind the bar and left peanut residue on the side of the plate of chips by accident, which I had then eaten.

“In my life, I’ve had six near death experiences. More importantly, all were due to human error and completely avoidable. There’s no survival guide on how to live with allergies, much of our own learning about our condition is through trial and error and adapting our lives to protect ourselves.”

Fuelled by her personal experience of living with allergies, Eimear began her journey by helping her little brother navigate his own allergy challenges. What started as a deeply personal endeavour has grown into a passion for educating and empowering families facing similar struggles.

As a scientist and medical student Queen’s University, Eimear recognised a significant gap between groundbreaking allergy research and public knowledge. The guidance for preventing, diagnosing, and managing allergies has evolved over the years.

Recent updates emphasise more personalised approaches to allergy management, including the importance of early diagnosis and intervention, improved anaphylaxis education and management, new treatment options and considerations of the psychological impact of living with allergic disease.

Eimear says living with allergies can have significant implications for families: “It’s about more than just reading ingredient labels; it involves meticulous meal planning and constant vigilance when eating out, navigating school events, trips, birthday parties all while carefully avoiding certain skincare, haircare, and makeup products that may contain your allergens.

“As children transition into adulthood—leaving home, venturing out with friends, starting university, sharing kitchens—the challenges only increase. The weight of ensuring your child’s safety can be incredibly overwhelming and isolating for parents, leaving them to confront these fears in silence, often feeling alone in a world filled with hidden risks.

“In the research I was involved in, we found that food allergy comes with a price, both financially and emotionally. For adults, this cost averages around £1,200 a year, while for children, it can exceed £1,400. Beyond the financial burden, those living with allergies often face a diminished quality of life, and increased anxiety, particularly as fatal anaphylaxis incidents are more common among teens and young adults than in other age groups.”

Determined to bridge this gap, Eimear developed Allergy Act, an online and social media platform dedicated to disseminating up-to-date research, education, and guidance to the allergy community. Through her events and platform, she shares valuable resources, knowledge, tools and recommendations—such as allergy-friendly restaurants, food products, and skincare options—to help manage allergies effectively and enhance quality of life.

“Perhaps most importantly, I’ve seen how empowering it is for families and children to connect with one another. Sharing experiences and strategies not only fosters community and a deep understanding but also transforms the way we approach allergies,” Eimear explained.

By organising educational events and workshops, Eimear has transformed her initial mentoring of her brother into a movement that supports countless families: “Every person deserves to feel safe and included, no matter their dietary restrictions.”

After last year’s successful Allergy Act Retreat, which welcomed over 100 attendees, the event will be returning later this month where you can be part of a transformative experience that will empower you and your family to be in control of your allergies.

Eimear said: “On November 30th, I will be hosting the second annual Allergy Act Retreat at Queen’s University Belfast, in partnership with experts in the field. This year’s retreat is themed ‘Reducing the Risk of Anaphylaxis’. Our goal is to provide families managing allergies with life-changing resources, science-backed knowledge, and practical training from healthcare professionals, psychologists, and patient advocates.

“Last year’s event was a great success and this year we expect even more participants from across Ireland and the UK. We want to ensure that families living with allergies are empowered with the tools they need to navigate their daily lives more safely and confidently.”

The Allergy Act Retreat 2024 will take place on Saturday, 30th November from 10am – 3pm at Queen’s University Belfast. Details about the event can be found here and how to book are available here. You can find more about Eimear;s