Lisa is giving 
it some welly!

Lisa Cheshire, of Lucas Way in Shefford, will be wearing her wellies all day in support of Allergy UK as part of the charity’s Give it Some Welly fundraiser.

Three of her four children suffer from allergies, with allergic reactions varying in severity from upset stomachs and hives to full anaphylaxis.

Her youngest daughter’s allergy is so severe that exposure to milk could kill her.

Lisa explained: “I’ve had quite a big struggle just in every day life with my children. Everything I do has to be really thought out.

“Socialising is difficult; I can’t take my children to things like toddler groups or soft play areas because other children might be eating things they would react to”

She added: “If you go into a shop and ask for something specific because it’s allergy related you get that look as though you are being an inconvenience. If you haven’t dealt with allergies I suppose you are just quite ignorant about it – people don’t realise how dangerous they can be.”

During the summer Lisa’s daughter fell seriously ill.

Lisa said: “I took her to the doctor because she was being sick all the time and they thought it was a virus. But at the end of that week I got an email from Allergy UK warning about undisclosed ingredients, and there was a milk warning on a brand of flapjack I had bought her at the start of the week. The only reason she didn’t go into full anaphylaxis was because she was already taking daily antihistamines to deal with hay fever.”

Lisa’s eldest daughter Millie, six, is allergic to dairy and wheat. Eating something that contains these makes her very poorly and causes a lot of pain and distress.

Vinnie, three, has Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria, an intolerance to wheat, eczema and a severe grass pollen allergy. He has to take antihistamines every day to stop his body swelling up or getting hives. In summer he needs inhalers as well as medicine just so he can breathe properly. His Urticaria can be very painful and upsetting and can flare up at any time.

And Pippa, two, has multiple food allergies with varying severity. Lisa has to carry a medical kit, containing epi pens, antihistamines and a heart monitor, at all times in case she is ever unexpectedly exposed to an allergen.

To support Lisa’s fundraising, visit www.justgiving.com/Lisa-Cheshire

Shefford Lower School will be holding a Give it Some Welly day in February.