Allergen barrier balm brand HayMax is supporting Allergy UK’s Allergy Awareness Week, which takes place next week.
The awareness week runs from 22 to 28 April with this year’s theme being “Too big to ignore”, highlighting the escalating prevalence of allergies and the profound impact they have on both individuals and communities.
HayMax, which produces a range of organic drug-free allergen barrier balms for hay fever, dust and pet allergy sufferers, is corporate partner to Allergy UK, which is the leading national charity providing support, advice and information for those living with allergic disease.
The statistics surrounding allergies in the UK are troubling; the UK ranks among the top three countries globally for allergy incidence. Furthermore, the incidence of allergy is rising for many allergies including hay fever, food allergies, anaphylaxis, allergic eczema, and drug allergy.
According to Allergy UK:
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- By 2026, one in two people in Europe will have at least one allergy.
- In the UK in 2022, allergy was the most reported chronic health condition.
- In 2025, the global incidence of asthma is predicted to skyrocket by 70 per cent to 400 million sufferers worldwide. With hay fever a trigger for serious asthma attacks, this is worrying as in the UK 80 per cent of people with asthma (4.3 million) also have hay fever. Already in 2014, 15 per cent of asthma deaths cited hay fever as a contributing factor.
- There has been a 154 per cent rise in hospital admissions for anaphylaxis between 2002 and 2022.
- Food allergies are becoming increasingly common in children, rising from one in 10 to one in eight.
- The provision of allergy services within the NHS continues to erode.
Allergy Awareness Week serves as a rallying cry – a call to action for individuals, communities, and policymakers to confront this burgeoning crisis head-on. By raising awareness, fostering understanding, and advocating for change, the charity aims to create a future where allergies no longer cast a shadow over countless lives.
Simone Miles, CEO of Allergy UK, comments: “Together, let us ensure that allergies are no longer relegated to the side-lines but are acknowledged as the pressing issue they truly are. Our collective action today can pave the way for a healthier, more inclusive tomorrow.”
If you want to get involved and help support Allergy Awareness Week, visit the website HERE to access campaign resources, fundraising ideas and tools, materials to support conversations with your local MP, and to read inspiring stories of people who against the odds are living with allergies.
HayMax has been an ongoing supporter of Allergy UK for over 10 years and provides sponsorship of the Garden in The Allergy House on the charity’s website, which provides useful tips and advice on managing allergens in the home and garden. HayMax also continues to support the charity’s allergies factsheets throughout the year.
