[Trigger Warning]
Rebecca Lennox is advocating for a ban on balloons in public spaces after experiencing a severe allergic reaction at an Asda supermarket, which she claims almost killed her due to the store allegedly ignoring her deadly latex allergy. During a routine shopping trip earlier this month, she began to experience chest tightness and difficulty breathing, realizing she was near a balloon arch at the store’s travel stall.
Lennox has had a latex allergy since childhood, but it has recently escalated from mild to life-threatening, necessitating her to carry four epinephrine auto-injectors at all times. The 33-year-old mother-of-two reported feeling dizzy and vomiting before her husband quickly drove them home. She stated that she had previously contacted the Asda store about the balloons weeks prior, after a friend alerted her to the display. Lennox claims Asda apologized and assured her the balloons would be removed.
However, during her subsequent visit, the emergency medical advisor was shocked to find the balloon display still present, which she says triggered an immediate anaphylactic reaction. Rebecca insists the balloons ‘could’ve killed her’ and is now calling for a comprehensive ban on latex decorations in public areas. Initially, Asda denied the presence of balloons but later admitted to them and apologized for the “miscommunication” within the store, assuring Lennox that there are no longer any balloons in that particular store.
Recounting the incident, Rebecca, from Liverpool, said:
A few weeks ago I went to go into Asda and by coincidence my friend was on her way out and she said there’s a balloon arch on the money stall for a deal on. So I went home and rang the store and tried to make them aware of my allergy. They were very apologetic and said they would get them removed. Then a few weeks later I walked in and started having a reaction straight away so I knew there must be balloons somewhere. I started to feel out of breath, I had chest tightness, I was dizzy then started to vomit. I was struggling with breathing so I sat in the cafe for a few minutes then told my husband I needed to go home. It was actually my daughter who said there were balloons in the store. I was really shocked to see it still up. I had to leave and take two EpiPens and pretty much slept for 13 hours. It could’ve potentially killed me. It’s my local Asda, I’m there all the time.
Following the worsening of her symptoms, Lennox was rushed to Whiston Hospital in Prescot, suffering from chest tightness and swelling around her mouth. While she has made a full recovery, she expressed living in constant fear of future encounters with balloons. Having experienced six anaphylactic shocks in the past year, Rebecca stated:
I don’t want any money, I just want them not to put balloons up. I’m in constant fear of having another reaction. There’s so much awareness out there for nut allergies, but not enough for latex. Why is a nut allergy more important than an environmental one? I get people saying you can’t ban balloons but you 100 percent can. Latex balloons are one of the most dangerous, life-threatening things for people with latex allergies. They’re just not necessary. You don’t have to use latex balloons as decorations. It affects every part of my life. I feel like sometimes I’m putting a damper on things but it’s terrifying. People don’t really understand it. It’s not as simple as avoiding places. Why are latex balloons more important than my life? It sounds dramatic but they could kill me, especially with how frequent they’re becoming.
In response to the incident, an Asda spokesperson commented:
We always want our customers to have a positive experience in our stores, so we’re sorry to hear about Rebecca’s experience and have apologised for the miscommunication at our Hunts Cross store. There are currently no balloons on display at the store.
