One of the first healthcare workers to die of latex allergy complications, Lt. Harold "Hal" Henderson, RN, a 20-year veteran of the Navy nurse corps, was also one of the most ardent supporters. He died August 29, 1997 at age 40.
Henderson, who had been ill as the result of respiratory and cardiac complications associated with latex allergy, died of a massive heart attack. His death occurred only two years after he experienced anaphylactic shock for the first time during a shift as an intensive care nurse at Naval Medical Center in San Diego, California. Learning of his hypersensitivity to latex, Henderson encouraged other military and healthcare professionals to go public with their own allergy-related difficulties. He also urged hospitals to develop in-house education programs and clinical pathways to speed up the identification and testing of symptomatic employees before their conditions worsened.
For more information about Henderson, visit Education for Latex Allergy / Support Team & Information Coalition's web site.