In 1994 we discovered that our 6 month old daughter was allergic to peanuts. As a nurse I had learnt of anaphylaxis and the seriousness of her allergy was immediately apparent to me. As our daughter grew up we carefully introduced new foods to her and soon discovered she was also allergic to egg, fish and sesame seeds.

At around the age of two, our daughter developed asthma, along with the eczema that started when she was around three months old. Anaphylaxis would result if she was exposed to even a trace of the allergens mentioned.

Carrying the epipen junior was a top priority, along with teaching family and close friends how and when to use it.

What to carry it in ? First a toilet bag, then a cooler bag, then a golf bag, then a bum bag, then a….. worrying all the time that the bag would be mistaken for something else or overlooked, especially in a panic, in the sea of other similar looking bags, lunch coolers etc.

A bag that stood out was what was needed and the thought that it could be a “go to” place for emergencies came to mind, just like a nurses station on a ward.