Man's death from walnut allergy prompts calls for better access to life-saving treatment

author-image
Meeshika Sharma
New Update
NULL

On Oct. 2, Justin Mathews from Edmonton was doing contract work at the Rossdale fire station, where crews had been sandblasting using walnut particles. The 33-year-old started having trouble breathing and went into anaphylactic shock. He was rushed to hospital and taken off life support five days later.

His family doesn’t know where his EpiPen was at the time, but said with the exception of one hospital visit, he had been able to control his allergic reactions using oral antihistamines.

His death from exposure to walnut particles on the job highlights the need to make life-saving medications such as epinephrine more readily available.

Food Allergy Canada spokesperson Beatrice Povolo said, “I think it’s very important that anyone who’s having a reaction have access to epinephrine immediately."

Advertisment

Mathews’ family is calling for EpiPens to be made available in public spaces. The City of Edmonton said on Monday that city facilities do not have EpiPens or the epinephrine drug.

Hamilton,Ont. recently equipped all of its public community centres and facilities with epinephrine. And in Quebec, a restaurant chain stocks the drug at all its locations.

 

 

Advertisment