Children from across Ireland gather at CUH for access to ground-breaking allergy treatment

HSE South West hosted a ground‑breaking paediatric allergy treatment initiative at Cork University Hospital (CUH) on Saturday, 4 July.

Around 40 children and young people from across Ireland attended the Seahorse Day Unit for Oral Immunotherapy (OIT), a treatment that helps children with food allergies build tolerance to foods that can trigger serious allergic reactions.

Young patients from Cork, Dublin, Waterford, Kerry, Limerick, Clare, Kildare, Portlaoise, Roscommon, Wexford and Galway were seen and treated at CUH. To celebrate the nationwide spirit of the day, families were invited to colour in their county flags while they waited.

CUH is at the forefront of allergy treatment with its Oral Immunotherapy (OIT) programme, which began in May 2025. To date, the programme had seen 560 patients, with more than 60% successfully transitioned into active OIT treatment – in other words, more than 60% of children tested are now working through a programme which builds their tolerance to their allergens and significantly reduces the risk of severe allergic reactions.

Saturday’s event highlights CUH’s role as a vital hub for specialised allergy care, and will assist the CUH allergy service maintaining a short waiting list for starting OIT treatment for suitable patients.

Marie Watson, Paediatric Strategic Development Manager, said:

“Food allergies can have a big impact on everyday life and initiatives like this give families hope and support. We are proud to welcome children from all over Ireland to CUH and to see so many healthcare professionals, students and volunteers working together to make a positive difference. Having children celebrate their county colours adds to the fun and reminds us that this is truly a national effort.”

The event will be led by Professor Juan Trujillo and the CUH Paediatric Allergy Team in partnership with University College Cork (UCC). The initiative will also involve 10 UCC students, four Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors (NCHDs), two consultant doctors and a GP with a special interest in allergy.

Oral Immunotherapy (OIT) is a carefully supervised treatment that gradually introduces very small amounts of an allergen to help increase a patient's tolerance over time. The treatment has the potential to transform the lives of children and families living with food allergies, reducing the constant fear of a serious reaction during day-to-day life.

Professor Juan Trujillo, Consultant Paediatrician and Paediatric Allergy Specialist at Cork University Hospital and University College Cork, said:

“Since May 2025, CUH has been at the forefront of clinical excellence through the delivery of its Oral Immunotherapy (OIT) programme. This initiative represents a significant step forward in our national healthcare landscape, as the hospital continues to expand its capacity and refine pathways for patients living with food allergies. The success and necessity of this programme are reflected in its broad regional reach. Currently, more than 50% of patients attending their initial consultation to consider OIT travel are from outside of County Cork. This clearly demonstrates a strong supra-county demand and highlights CUH’s role as a vital hub for specialised allergy care in the region. Some patients have been seen in our OIT programme with more than 60% successfully transitioned into active OIT treatment. This conversion rate is a testament to the rigorous assessment process, ensuring that treatment is both clinically appropriate and aligned with the preferences of the families involved.”

He added:

“In 2026 we decided to use CUH paediatric department day ward facilities on Saturday to do mass volume of OIT initiation in a safe environment. This is our second “OIT initiation blitz” with approximately 40 patients seen in one day . This kind of planned use of Saturday procedures aligns with the idea of useful use of infrastructure of CUH paediatric department allowing families to come outside their work hours People from Waterford Galway Roscommon Portlaoise and Dublin are attending. This also allows the CUH paediatric allergy service to maintain a short waiting list for OIT initiations. These developments underscore our unwavering commitment to decentralising specialist care and ensuring that innovative treatments like OIT are accessible to more children across Ireland. The leadership shown by the CUH paediatric allergy service remains a cornerstone of our strategy to modernise and enhance allergy services nationwide.”