Hi, I am Aibhe, I am 9 years old and I live with Mast Cell Activation
Syndrome (MCAS). I bet you are wondering what it is, well MCAS is something that makes people have allergic type reactions to different types of food. This can be quite hard to live with because I can’t eat chocolate, dairy, gluten, lots of types of fruit and sweets, many other things & we are still finding new foods. 

I didn’t have MCAS when I was born, I got it when I was 5 ½ years old. There are other things that I react to like perfume, heat, exercise and chemicals. The reactions that I get include strong tummy pain & tummy upset, nausea, body pain, itchy rashes or hives, my face can swell up, I can feel breathless & very tired.

Many times I have cried because I thought that it was so unfair (which it still is) but thanks to the medication that my doctor in London gave me I am able to try new things without worrying too much about having a big
reaction. The good thing is that there are dairy free and gluten free foods like bread and ice cream. With the help of the medication I can do a lot more things and occasionally I wear a face mask, which makes me feel a bit weird because people are staring at me at times.

So, for this amazing charity I am doing 500 minutes (8hrs and 20mins) bouncing on the trampoline to raise as much money as I can for the charity. Please donate because this charity is helping a lot of people like me thanks.

Aibhe Xxxxxx

Mast cells are part of the body’s immune response cells, offering protection against allergens by releasing their chemicals including histamine. With MCAS these cells are hyper-active, they inappropriately & excessively release their inflammatory chemicals into the body in response to often harmless substances or even environmental exposures. These chemicals subsequently cause chronic, often debilitating, symptoms across multiple body systems & even anaphylaxis.

Only recognised by the World Health Organisation in 2016 MCAS is a poorly understood & under-recognised condition amongst the medical community.

Mast Cell Action’s vision is to provide support, raise awareness and help advance the diagnosis and treatment of MCAS. With your help we aim to ensure that doctors across the UK have a greater awareness of this
debilitating illness and will work to promote the development of more accurate tests leading to much quicker diagnosis and treatment. We promise that every penny we raise will go towards achieving our aims. Our mission:

• To lobby for universal awareness, diagnosis and treatment of MCAS.
• To provide support for MCAS patients & their families
• To support doctors & researchers with an interest in MCAS
• To persuade the medical community that, by recognising MCAS there will be a huge opportunity for the much more effective use of resources within the medical system.
• To bring the MCAS patient community together & create a cohesive voice.

Mast Cell action relies entirely on the generosity of people like you. Thank you for support.