A recent case of Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) resulted in the death of a young woman, after the severe drug reaction progressed beyond the doctor’s control. She was one of the few the cases of Stevens Johnson Syndrome occurrences in the United States.  SJS is specifically caused by extreme allergic drug reaction.

The SJS victim, Angela Anderson, was preparing to celebrate the holidays with her family last year in Illinois when she reportedly developed the severe drug reaction. Her parents, Paul and Wanpen Anderson, stated the ordeal started on Christmas Eve and had ended with her death just four days later.

The Andersons had described the experience in an online account, describing the sudden blistering of her daughter’s skin and mucous membranes. Even though emergency intervention was implemented to treat her Stevens Johnson Syndrome, Angela died just four days later on Dec. 28, 2015.

In honor of their daughter’s memory, the Andersons have pledged their support to find a cure for Stevens Johnson Syndrome.

Overview of Stevens Johnson Syndrome

Stevens Johnson Syndrome is an extremely rare allergic skin reaction, specifically caused by one or more medications. It is often characterized by red or purple skin lesions that appear all over the skin and mucous membranes, like the eyes or anywhere in the mouth.

This condition can cause difficulty in breathing, swallowing, and can even cause organ damage if allowed to progress far enough. At this point in time, doctors are unsure which medications specifically cause SJS or why only certain patients are affected by it. However, the likelihood is higher if the patient has a history of drug sensitivity, or is using more than one medication.

According to medical records, doctors are unsure what medication may have spurred Angela’s Stevens Johnson Syndrome. The Andersons plan to contribute to the solution by contributing funds to one of the world’s top drug reaction experts, Dr. Elizabeth Phillips of Vanderbilt University.

Combined with the generous donations from friends and other family members, the Andersons were able to present Dr. Phillips with a check for $22,000 to support her SJS research. The amount was decided based on Angela’s age at the time of her death, with $1,000 for every year she was alive.

In addition, a research fund has also been set up at so the donations can keep accruing. Serious adverse drug reactions are often considered the fourth leading cause of patient deaths in hospitals, beaten out only by heart disease, stroke, and cancer.

Treatment for SJS patients can accumulate to as much as $136 billion per year. With help from the Andersons and other concerned people, awareness of Stevens Johnson Syndrome can spread.