ITV Producer Brain Damaged from Nut-Caused Allergic Reaction

• Amy May Shead, 29 from Essex, suffered anaphylactic shock in Budapest restaurant.
• Amy went into cardiac arrest after the anaphylactic shock, leaving her with severe brain injury preventing her from walking or talking and with limited sight
• Amy spent 19 days in an induced coma in Budapest ICU before flying back to the UK to spend a further year in an ‘amazing’ London NHS hospital
• Amy was unable to claim on her medical insurance, and despite thorough investigation, no claim can be made against the restaurant responsible as they held no Public liability insurance. This has left her family to fund her monthly rehabilitation therapist bills (average 5-6k per month) entirely through donations received via The Amy May Trust

Amy’s Parents Sue and Roger will be making their second appearance on ITV’s This Morning on Monday 21st, September, this time accompanied by Amy.

Amy May Shead, an online producer for ITV Daytime, suffered life-changing brain injury after consuming a single mouthful of food while on holiday to Budapest in 2014.

During the holiday, Amy went for dinner at a local restaurant where she was assured by the waiting staff and chef that the chicken dish she ordered did not contain nuts. Further to the verbal conversation, Amy provided the staff with a translated medical card stating her fatal allergy and the ingredients she must not have contact with. Despite the apparent understanding from the staff, the food did contain nuts and Amy went into immediate anaphylactic shock. Amy administered two Epi-Pen’s before collapsing on the floor of the restaurant. The emergency services resuscitated her on the scene before she was transferred to the Alexander Péterfy-Clinic Hospital and Trauma Center, Budapest where she was placed in induced coma as medical staff battled to save her life.

Increasing depths of coma were instigated following the incident in an attempt to dampen further damage to Amy's brain following the catastrophic effect that had already taken place due to lack of oxygen and then a bleed on the brain.

After 19 days in Budapest ICU, Amy and her family, who had traveled out to be with her, were flown back to the UK on a medically-equipped light aircraft and was immediately transferred to the ICU of St. Thomas’ and Guys Hospital, London. Amy was slowly brought out of the coma where she was left with severe brain injury.

After ten and a half months in St. Thomas’ and Guys Hospital, and then almost a year in an NHS rehab unit Amy was transferred to a Specialist care facility, where she now resides.

With no medical insurance claim, and no compensation Amy’s ongoing needs, alongside her required medical therapies are funded from private donations.

Amy’s family has established The Amy May Trust to fund her monthly requirements. Amy’s incident has left her with very limited vision (therefore preventing her from using eye-controlled assisted technology), unable to walk or communicate with spoken language. While Amy will require medical care along with physiotherapy and speech and language therapy (SLT) for life, Amy’s family are hopeful dedicated neurological physiotherapy could allow Amy to strengthen her body to as to have greater control and flexibility in her movements while SLT could allow her to improve her communication skills with her family and friends.

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About The Amy May Trust

The Amy May Trust is a Legal Protective Trust created to support the continual rehabilitation and necessary medical needs of Amy May Shead. The Trust has been established and is managed by Amy’s family.

Contact

E: mail@amymaytrust.com

Amy’s mother, Sue and father, Roger, are available for interview by telephone or in person. Please be aware, however, their schedule is subject to the intense care of Amy. We will however do our best to accommodate to any requirements in order to support The Amy May Trust. Amy’s Aunt, Julie, who manages the Trust, is available for fact clarification or further information. Please direct all contact to mail@amymaytrust.com.