Gap in allergy care leaves parents 'really struggling'

Sadie Bristow died from an allergic reaction in 2018

The mother of a nine-year-old girl who died of an allergic reaction to food has said that parents are "really struggling" to access care and advice.

Clare Bristow, from Chartham, Kent, lost her daughter Sadie in 2018.

She said that a gap in allergy education and care has left parents feeling anxious.

"If we don't have education at the GPs and in schools then you get anxiety levels that rise and rise," she said.

"You've got parents who are really struggling. They don't know where to go or how to deal with it," she added.

Following her death, Sadie's family set up a charity in her name and hope to one day raise enough money to open a specialist allergy clinic and fund an allergy nurse in the south east.

Mrs Bristow says she wants to make it easier for parents to access specialist help

Sadie's younger sister also has food allergies, and Mrs Bristow is hoping that money raised through the Sadie Bristow Foundation will help to provide education and support for other parents like her.

Through a series of events, including a charity ski challenge in the Alps next year, Mrs Bristow has said that she hopes to ensure that other families will not have to go through the "mentally exhausting" process of getting an allergy diagnosis and accessing support.

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