Living with a severe dairy allergy isn’t just a dietary inconvenience — it’s a daily fight for survival. This devastating truth became heartbreakingly clear on June 28, 2017, when 13-year-old Karanbir Cheema collapsed after a classmate threw a piece of cheese at him during school in London.
To many, it might have seemed like a harmless prank. But for Karanbir, who had an extreme dairy allergy, that brief contact triggered a catastrophic anaphylactic reaction. His EpiPen — the emergency lifeline meant to stop the reaction — had expired. Despite immediate efforts and hospitalization, Karanbir suffered cardiac arrest and passed away days later.
What happened was not just a freak accident. It was a preventable tragedy — one that laid bare a widespread lack of understanding about food allergies. Many still confuse dairy allergies with lactose intolerance, failing to realize that for some, even trace exposure — through skin contact alone — can be fatal.
Anaphylaxis is a rapid, life-threatening allergic reaction that can shut down organs within minutes. It demands urgent treatment, up-to-date emergency medications, and informed action — especially in schools, where children rely on adults for protection.
Karanbir’s death exposed critical failures: an expired EpiPen, gaps in school training, and a dangerous lack of awareness. These oversights cost a young boy his life.
His story is more than a cautionary tale — it’s a call to action. Schools must implement stronger allergy protocols. Staff must be trained. Emergency medications must be checked and replaced. And above all, society must start treating food allergies with the seriousness they deserve.
Karanbir Cheema should still be here. His legacy now urges us to protect those who live with life-threatening allergies — with vigilance, education, and compassion. Because what happened to him should never happen again.