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The death of a 12-year old girl in a Burlington Mall last year has resulted in the launch of a full-time project to protect people suffering severe food allergies from anaphylactic shock. This morning, the city of Hamilton officially launched the project with an aim to put an EpiPen in every food facility in the city.
12-year old Maia Gallo just wanted some ice cream — during a shopping trip to Burlington Mall last March. That simple, every day choice, resulted in her death in a matter of hours.
Maia suffered a fatal, allergic reaction to the ice cream she ate. And even though people on the scene tried to save her life, the lack of an EpiPen may have contributed to her death. The “pen” is really an injection kit, that contains epinephrine — a powerful anti-allergy drug, that can slow, or stop the progression of anaphylactic shock and save a life.
Following Maia’s death, Councillor Lloyd Ferguson took up suggestions from some constituents, to stock EpiPens in food establishments, in the same manner as defibrillators are now installed in arenas, and sporting facilities.
Today, the city took the first step in that process by providing EpiPens and training, for security guards at the Jackson Square food court. Maia Gallo’s family was on hand for the formal ceremony.
Leah Santarelli-Gallo is Maia’s mother: “We did know that she had an allergy. It was classified as a mild allergy to dairy. Continued to eat the dairy that she tolerated, so she did. Why she went into anaphylaxis last year, we don’t know. It’s a very bittersweet day for us and my entire family. In our loss, there is the positive side to it that it can save a life.”
The project is being sponsored by the Rotary Club of Ancaster, Anaphylaxis Canada and McMaster University. Two drug companies that manufacture the auto-injection units, donated 12 units each, for the pilot project. The pens usually cost, around 100 dollars, each.
