Jeremy Arrow graduated with B.Sc. (Honours) in Biology from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. He is a founding member of Theatre Cap-a-Pie specialising in the running of youth theatres in the Northeast region.

I have been allergic to pink shellfish from the age of eleven. The condition gradually became more pronounced through my teens, and would manifest itself within minutes, or even seconds of consuming a single small prawn. My lips would swell noticeably, and would hurt, as would my tongue and the back of my throat. I would also experience an uncomfortable prickly sensation behind and across my eyes. On one occasion when we were dining out with Sifu at a Chinese restaurant, I had inadvertently eaten a small piece of king prawn. My lips swelled up immediately and I found myself in great discomfort. Sifu asked what the problem was and I briefly explained the situation to him. Even before I had finished explaining, I recall a change in his expression and his intent, almost as if he were only half listening. When I finished my explanation, Sifu just smiled and told me to have some more of the prawns. As I ate another king prawn, my head felt quite warm, but not in the uncomfortable manner of my allergy. The swelling and pain in my lips, mouth and throat seemed to have dissipated without fanfare, as did the mild heat, over a period of a few minutes. This was in spite of continuing to help myself to the shellfish dishes throughout the meal."