Gwen Smith

Toronto

Editor and Co-Owner at Allergic Living Magazine

Editor, writer + co-owner of @AllergicLiving website and e-magazine. Used to earn keep at Globe, TorStar, CBC Radio.

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Articles

Collaborative Aims to Step Up Allergy Readiness at Childcare Centers

2 weeks ago | allergicliving.com | Gwen Smith

The readiness to recognize and promptly treat severe food-allergic reactions in children is essential. Yet, there has been growing concern in the food allergy community about just how prepared many U.S. early childcare centers are to do that. To help childcare employees become aware, confident and ready in case of anaphylaxis, the Early Childhood Anaphylaxis Collaborative (ECAC) recently launched.
ADDE Act and FARE: Recap of a Tense Town Hall Over Menu Bill

4 weeks ago | allergicliving.com | Gwen Smith

After receiving a flood of criticism for opposing California’s proposed ADDE Act, the nonprofit FARE held a town hall meeting via Zoom. About 125 people took part in the April 16 call, with frank and sometimes heated exchanges. Most advocates on the call urged FARE, the largest U.S. food allergy nonprofit, to drop its opposition.
Allergy Tragedy in Rome: Was Restaurant to Blame?

4 weeks ago | allergicliving.com | Gwen Smith

Updated April 17: An American college student on a study trip to Italy has sadly died of a severe anaphylactic reaction. On April 2, Avarie Anne Tierney, 21, and friends staying in Rome stopped at a vegan restaurant for a meal. After taking a few bites of the avocado toast she ordered, police said the student from Los Angeles felt symptoms of an allergic reaction and assumed there must have been cashew in her lunch.
Lost in Translation: A Food Allergy Tragedy in Rome

1 month ago | allergicliving.com | Gwen Smith

An American college student on a study trip to Italy has sadly died of a severe anaphylactic reaction. On April 2, Avarie Anne Tierney, 21, and friends staying in Rome stopped at a vegan restaurant for a meal. According to a police report, Avarie had struggled to communicate to staff about her tree nut allergy, due to the language barrier. After eating the sandwich she ordered, police said she felt symptoms of an allergic reaction and assumed there must have been cashew in her lunch.
Why All the Food Allergy Tragedies? And What Has Got to Change

Feb 4, 2025 | allergicliving.com | Gwen Smith

Trigger warning: this opinion article discusses recent food allergy tragedies. Post may not be suitable for some. In the past couple of months, we’ve witnessed an alarming increase in the number of reported food allergy tragedies. In over 15 years of reporting on the food allergy community, I’ve sometimes seen a few such deaths in a row. But late 2024 and into 2025 saw a toll of allergy fatalities like I’ve never witnessed. It has been soul-crushing for the food allergy community to watch.
20-Year-Old Dies of Peanut Allergy – That He Didn't Know He Had

Dec 22, 2024 | allergicliving.com | Gwen Smith

There has been another food allergy tragedy. This time, neither the 20-year-old Wisconsin man nor his family even knew that he had a peanut allergy. Allergic Living gets the story of Andrew Mueller’s fatal allergic reaction from his parents Mark and Cristin Mueller. Mark recalls spending the day of November 23 with Andrew, who lived at the family home in Wisconsin Rapids. Then his son went out for the evening; six friends in two vehicles. They were headed over to another friend’s home.
Airlines, Allergies Study: Stress, Insensitivity and Big Opportunity

Dec 18, 2024 | allergicliving.com | Gwen Smith

A recently published global study finds flying with food allergies to be a big cause of anxiety. So what’s making 98 percent of airline passengers managing food allergies feel so much stress? According to the study’s survey of 4,704 participants, it’s largely due to airlines’ lack of consistent allergy policies, and communication. The latter relates especially to accommodation promises made, then not delivered.
Disney Influencer Dies of Severe Allergic Reaction

Dec 7, 2024 | allergicliving.com | Gwen Smith

Dominique Brown, 34, a Disney influencer and co-creator of @Blackgirldisney, has died of an apparent severe food allergy reaction. The Disney enthusiast was attending a Dec. 5 holiday event in Los Angeles, sponsored by collectibles retailer BoxLunch at the Vibiana event space.
Texas Student's Allergy Tragedy Shows Need for Menu Ingredients

Nov 27, 2024 | allergicliving.com | Gwen Smith

Texas college student Alison Pickering was just days away from graduation when she suffered anaphylaxis to a restaurant meal. The 23-year-old did not survive the reaction, which quickly turned severe. Alison had been on a first date, at a restaurant she knew, according to her parents, Joy and Grover Pickering. The Pickerings were initially quiet about their daughter’s food allergy death in May 2023. But recently, they sat down with CBS News in Texas to tell her story.
Non-VBV List of Cardable Sites for 2024: A Comprehensive Guide

Nov 7, 2024 | medium.com | Gwen Smith

Gwen smith·Follow5 min read·--As online shopping and digital transactions continue to evolve, many consumers are looking for ways to bypass traditional security measures like Verified by Visa (VBV) when making purchases. While these security protocols are essential for protecting user information, some users prefer not to deal with the extra authentication steps.