While any student interested in attending Old Dominion might want to become familiar with the university's Student Health Center, one family on campus recently for an open house learned just how valuable it can be in an emergency.

During the Admissions Open House on Saturday, Aug. 12, a prospective student was taken to the center after a potentially life-threatening bee sting. The boy, a rising senior at Douglas S. Freeman High School in Richmond, is allergic to bees and had left his Epi-pen, or bee sting emergency medical kit, at home.

Kerry Beers, assistant director of admissions, said she saw the boy and his mother sitting on a curb during a tour of campus and had stopped to ask if everything was OK. After learning of the situation, Beers found Jenny Foss, director of student health services, and the two escorted the boy and his mother to the Student Health Center.

The boy, who had a large red hive on the side of his neck, also had a weak pulse, chest pains and tight breathing, said Jenny Foss, director of student health services.

Foss immediately gave him a shot of epinephrine, or adrenaline, and an oral dose of Benadryl. She then called to request an ambulance.

"The boy's mother told me he was severely allergic to bee stings. She said that with his first bee sting two years ago, he became unconscious within four minutes and almost died," said Foss.

According to Foss, after a second shot of epinephrine and two inhalations of albuteral inhaler, the boy's pulse became more regular. He was taken by ambulance to the Sentara Norfolk General Emergency Room ,where he was treated with steroids for the allergic reaction and discharged.

Foss had been on campus the morning of the open house in order to run the Student Health Center's information table in Webb Center. While student health services always has an information table at open houses, it is not always manned by a medical practitioner. On some occasions, clerical staff are in charge of the table. "It was really a case of being in the right place at the right time. Sometimes those reactions can be really dangerous. It was lucky I was there," said Foss.

During a follow-up call later that afternoon, Foss learned the boy was doing fine. His mother thanked Foss and said she was very impressed with everything she had seen at Old Dominion.