Tragic Death Of Local Resident With Nut Allergy

Exercise brought on severe reaction after she ate a cereal bar

Tributes have been paid to 21-year old Chiswick resident Maisie Durant, who collapsed with anaphylactic shock and died last month after exercise exacerbated her nut allergy. She had eaten a cereal bar after a gym workout and the exercise has been linked to the severe reaction.

Maisie, a former pupil of St Paul's Girls School, who worked as a recruitment consultant, is believed to have suffered from a rare condition known as exercise-induced anaphylaxis. Though she knew she had a nut allergy, it had always been controlled with over the counter antihistamine.

Her father Jonathan has spoken out about the incident in a bid to warn others of the potential link between exercise and allergies. Experts have said exercising can worsen the symptoms of such nut allergies because the allergens can be passed into the blood much faster. Mr. Durant said that Maisie had recently taken up fitness and while she had always taken medication for the nut allergy, she was unaware of the link between the allergy and exercise.

He said she became ill at home following the gym session when she ate a cereal bar which contained nuts and it became apparent very quickly that it was a very serious reaction. An ambulance was called and paramedics worked to save her but she died in hospital on January 19th.

He described Maisie as a fun loving girl and very bright. She had a boyfriend and was planning a trip to Berlin. The family had spoken out to warn others with similar allergies of the dangers of exercise. The Durant family have set up a JustGiving page and donations of over £45,000 have been received for the Anaphylaxis Campaign.

Tributes have been paid on the page from people who knew Maisie from her days at school and work and who were shocked to hear the news.

Maisie's funeral took place on February 4th in Chiswick and her colleagues from Reed recruitment company organised a minute's applause in tribute to the fun-loving young woman they had worked with.

Maisie became an organ donor at the age of sixteen, and her parents were told that her organs have been donated to help three other people, including two kidney failure patients who have been on dialysis for five years.

February 21, 2015