Safer Dining: A Timely Gift Provides Lifesaving Treatment

Seth and Susan Lee funded epinephrine auto-injector and nasal spray stations for campus diners experiencing a severe food allergy reaction

The following is a summary of a story on the Student Experience website.

Seth and Susan Lee’s son, Jacob, is a Duke undergrad set to graduate in May. Jacob has lived with life-threatening nut and seed allergies since he was a child.

That’s why the Lees funded the installation of strategically placed epinephrine auto-injector and nasal spray at select locations across Duke’s campus: so diners who experience a severe allergic reaction could access lifesaving treatment within moments.

“Duke Dining didn’t just answer our questions – they embraced us,” Seth Lee said. “They made Jacob feel seen, safe, and supported from the start, and that level of care made all the difference.”

Their gift was timely: Soon after the stations were installed, a campus visitor suffered an allergic reaction at a West Campus dining venue.

During Duke’s Fall Open House, Jesse Aaron Safir, a visitor with nut and seed allergies selected an item containing sunflower butter at It’s Thyme, a Top 9 allergen-free dining venue in the Bryan Center. While sunflower seed is not a Top 9 allergen and is permitted for use at It’s Thyme, the moment highlighted the importance of communicating any and all food allergies with dining staff before selecting a meal.

Food allergies can be life threatening and affect an estimated one in 13 children, who oftentimes carry those allergies through young adulthood and college. Reactions can occur suddenly and escalate quickly, making access to emergency treatment essential.

Staff at It’s Thyme quickly retrieved an epinephrine auto-injector and nasal spray to stabilize Safir until paramedics arrived.

Epinephrine lockers are like defibrillator stations. They were recently installed at key dining locations across campus, with more on the way.

The Lee’s gift builds on Duke Dining’s Ask Me® allergen safety program and its commitment to health and preparedness.

“Without the epinephrine, things could have gone very differently,” Safir said after the incident during his campus visit. “I was so grateful for the staff, the student who stopped to help me, and for Duke Dining’s commitment to allergy safety.”

For the full story about safe dining, go to the Student Experience website.