A television segment where a boy with a potentially life-threatening egg allergy was excluded and laughed at has been slammed by a leading charity.
Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia took Sunrise to task on Facebook for their treatment of the student during a segment with Sam Mac and Merv Hughes.
‘Why is it that some like to mock those with food allergy? How is it OK to put the one child with an egg allergy in a caged cricket pit whilst the rest of the school has eggs for breakfast?’ they wrote.
A television segment where a boy with a potentially life-threatening egg allergy has been laughed at has been slammed by a leading charity (pictured)
Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia took Sunrise (pictured) to task on Facebook for their treatment of the student during a segment with Sam Mac and Merv Hughes
Social media users (pictured) were appalled at the segment, leaving dozens of comments on Facebook
The segment featured cricketing legend Merv Hughes doing an event with Sunrise weather presenter Sam Mac at a Sydney school for World Egg Day.
As a group of students held balloons and waved signs, the camera panned over to a young boy named Ben standing in a cricket cage by himself. The cricket cage was open at one end.
‘It’s a tough day for the one anaphylactic kid in the school, it’s okay, he’s got a balloon to play with!’ said Sam Mac, provoking laughter from the Sunrise panel, including Sam Armytage and David Koch.
Sam Mac then had the crowd of laughing students shout ‘We love you Ben!’ in unison.
‘It’s a tough day for the one anaphylactic kid in the school, it’s okay, he’s got a balloon to play with!’ said Sam Mac, provoking laughter from the Sunrise panel, including Sam Armytage and David Koch (pictured)
Social media users echoed the concerns of Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia, making their feelings known on Facebook.
‘Wow! I am appalled that they would think it’s funny to point out how someone with an allergy can’t be involved in a event,’ wrote one mother.
Whether staged or not as an allergy parent it’s one of the worries I have for my kids, being ostracised and how it would make them feel.
‘Not cool Sunrise! Having a life threatening allergy shouldn’t be made fun of.’
As a group of students held balloons and waved signs, the camera panned over to a young boy named Ben standing in an open cricket cage by himself (pictured)
Another addressed the presenter directly, saying: ‘Sam Mac, how is this even remotely amusing?’ (pictured)
Social media users echoed the concerns of Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia, making their feelings known on Facebook (pictured above)
Another addressed the presenter directly, saying: ‘Sam Mac, how is this even remotely amusing?’
‘Ben was asked before hand if he wanted to be in the segment. He was actually happily playing there with his balloon for 5 minutes before we checked,’ he responded.
‘Of course it was hammed up for TV and he was obviously included in the morning. There was a handful of kids who couldn’t eat eggs due to anaphylaxis and they were very much involved throughout.
‘Apologies for any offence caused. Obviously you only see 20 seconds of it on TV and are not privy to the off air conversations and mood of the morning with staff, parents and students so I can understand how you can be offended.’
Daily Mail Australia contacted Channel Seven for comment.
Social media users took to Facebook (pictured) to express their outrage over the segment