Dear Old Millhillian,

This is a reminder to join us for the Medical Professions Meeting at The Athenaeum on Wednesday 12th March. You don’t have to be medical to attend and to benefit from the ‘State of the Art’ talk on a pertinent, modern day subject, delivered by our Old Millhillian guest speaker, Dr Sebastian Lighvani, and in the elegant surroundings of the pre-eminent members’ club for the sciences, especially medicine, in London.

In the Western world, Allergies and especially Food Allergy are of increasing prevalence with genetic susceptibility, microbiome alterations, skin exposure to detergents and pollutant exposures contributing to the risk of immune-mediated (IgE) food sensitisation and allergy. So, infantile eczema is the strongest risk factor for food allergy. Similarly, in those children with at least three family members with allergic conditions, such as asthma, eczema and food allergy, 20% have IgE-mediated food allergy. It is not surprising that we all know someone with an allergic condition which importantly can put their lives at risk.

In Sebastian Lighvani we have an expert in this field, so this is your opportunity to have the subject explained and be given upto date information on allergy management. The cornerstone of food allergy treatment is, of course, the avoidance of the culprit food allergen but there are emerging immunotherapies that desensitise the sufferer to one or more foods. This is a big problem as in the USA and the UK nine foods account for 90% of symptomatic food-protein allergies, ranging from shellfish to peanuts to sesame. In children the leading food-related, fatal or near-fatal allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) arise from peanut, tree nuts, shellfish and cow’s milk.

We all need to be aware of the risks, therefore, that accompany allergies and how they can be avoided and treated, so what better way of acquiring this knowledge than by attending this event and enjoying the company of OMs, guests and pupils from the Foundation while enjoying a hot buffet supper and drinks.

Please register, using the link above and as soon as possible as numbers are limited.

I hope you will join us on 12th March.

Dr Russell Cowan