Kamloops resident Deena Beauchamp is pictured at Tobiano in June.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Deena Beauchamp
August 07, 2025 - 6:00 PM
Deena Beauchamp is severely allergic to bees, wasps and hornets and will swell up within seconds when bitten or stung.
The 52-year-old Kamloops resident also has limited mobility and requires a cane for walking.
On the evening of Tuesday, Aug. 5, Beauchamp drove to a spot near her home in Tobiano and let her dog out to do its business. She had a backpack carrying her lifesaving EpiPens but strayed away from it to clean up after the dog, and that’s when she was attacked by wasps.
“I don't know if they were wasps or hornets, but I had my cane in my hand to help me stand back up and felt piercing stings or bites and saw things flying around my left arm,” she said. “It registered I just got bit multiple times.”
Beauchamp is so allergic to the insects her throat and tongue swell up quickly and she has to administer two EpiPens right away followed by a trip to the emergency room for follow up. She immediately felt lightheaded from the effects of the bites.
“I panicked and thoughts flashed through my mind like how far I am from the hospital, how long will it take for an ambulance to get here and if I’m going to die,” she said. “Right now, I’m very immobile, I couldn’t just sprint over to my pack.”
These EpiPens spared a Kamloops woman from serious complications following multiple wasp stings on August 5.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Deena Beauchamp
The only other person in the area was a woman having a cigarette who immediately took action.
“I must have cried out and likely let the dog go and she asked if I was OK,” Beauchamp said. “She ran to my pack and I told her where the pens were in a back pocket and between the two of us, she got them open for me and we administered them."
Beauchamp believes the kind stranger’s name is Shelley but isn’t sure.
The stranger got the dog into Beauchamp’s car for her and helped her into the vehicle. Beauchamp drove to get her husband and went to the Royal Inland Hospital where she received immediate care.
“The nurses were great and said I did the right thing taking both doses, it prevented serious complications and possibly saved my life,” she said.
Beauchamp is hoping her story will reach the kind stranger who told her she lives in Kamloops and whose green lighter she later found in her backpack.
“I want to thank her for not turning a blind eye and for following my instructions, and for waiting to make sure I was OK,” she said. “If I hadn’t had her there, I don’t think it would’ve ended in a very good way. The dog could have taken off, I would’ve been crawling for my pack.
“You see people everywhere and it’s easy to just disregard they might be going through something. She stepped in to help, if I could only give her a hug.”
Beauchamp hopes the incident will be a reminder to others with severe reactions to wasps to keep their EpiPens nearby.
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