How lucky am I that food allergy mom, Co-founder of the California Advocates for Food Allergies, founder of the South Orange County Food Allergy Network and a just great lady, Lori Fletcher, wrote today’s blog post? Lori did a beautiful job highlighting some of the very good and important things that took place regarding food allergies in our nation this year. At the end of this post, she asks you and I to add other events and/or people that we can all be thankful for!
Please add your special moments, people or things brought us all a few steps forward this last year. Thank you Lori for your infectous smile and good cheer–time to start off the New Year with a positive surge of energy!
As 2015 begins, I can’t help but be excited for a new year and look back at all the progress made in 2014. Caroline’s blog seemed the perfect place to express my gratitude to everyone within the food allergy community for a job well done.
For me, 2014 was a bit hectic, as we were still adjusting to life in a new community after living in the San Francisco Bay Area for many years. My son started a new school — his fourth in four years. I’m so grateful he transitioned so well. As a result of dealing with so many schools, I now have a title I never wanted: 504 accommodations expert. My daughter started high school. How did that happen so quickly? My husband continued his crazy work travel schedule.
As a community, we food allergy parents have seen highs and lows. The lows were all the lives lost to anaphylaxis this year, each one feeling so personal and each one leaving us full of grief.
I decided it was time to close the support group I created for families in South Orange County, California. As I went through the process of closing my support group, I started going through everything I had posted on my support group’s Facebook page. In retrospect, I was pleasantly surprised at how many good and unexpected things happened in 2014.
One of the things I’m most proud of is my work helping to get the stock epinephrine bill passed in California. I’m also full of gratitude for the team at the newly named Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy Research at Stanford, where my son just finished the second of three years in a clinical trial for treatment of peanut allergies.
Looking back we’ve had quite an eventful year. Here’s are my list of favorite things that happened in 2014:
FABLOGCON – Not only was the first Food Allergy Bloggers Conference amazing, but we got to do it again in 2014! Thank you to all the corporate sponsors, Jenny and Homa! Any opportunity to eat meals prepared with care by the fabulous chef Keith Norman is worth celebrating!
Eleanor Garrow-Holding created the new advocacy group Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT) — We have even more people now helping our cause! Thank you FAACT team.
Lianne Mandelbaum creates No Nut Traveler campaign and begins lobbying for safe flights on commercial airlines – Thank you Lianne for all you do.
Peanut Patch trial shows promise — This one is a little personal!
More Major League Baseball teams offer peanut free games — Baseball and kids just go together. We’ve seen a huge increase in teams offering options to guests with allergies.
Stock epinephrine legislation passes in many states — Thank you Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE), FAACT, Kids With Food Allergies (KFA) and the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America for helping with stock epinephrine legislation nationwide. Five years ago I could not even imagine that epipens would be available on school campuses for anyone experiencing an allergic reaction while at school.
Hmmm…but SB 1266 is somehow my fav…. I wonder why?
Thank you to the countless people who reached out to their legislators about California’s stock epi bill SB1266. Thank you to Senator Bob Huff and Heidi Hannaman for creating this life-saving legislation. Thank you Brian Hom (FAACT Board Member), Leti Olivier, Sharon Wong (Nut Free Wok) Caroline Chen (Sean N Parker Center for Allergy Research) and Connie Green (SF Bay Area Food Allergy Network).
Teal pumpkin project – This movement went viral, creating important awareness for food allergies. And the best part is we get to do it all again next Halloween!
Obama Administration instructs schools on how to handle bullying against kids with food allergies — The Department of Education sent out detailed guidance to schools across the country, outlining how schools should react to kids who bully people with disabilities, including ADHD and food allergies. When has the DOE ever sent a letter to schools about protecting kids with food allergies? I think this is a huge first!
Epinephrine available to all at Disney Parks — Not only is Disney the best with serving guests with food allergies, but now everyone at Disney Parks has access to epinephrine if needed. A dream is a wish your heart makes! Thank you Disney!
FARE gala – FARE raised $2.6 million in one night! What a gift. Kudos to the team for a job well done and for getting our cause mentioned in the media, including The Wall Street Journal.
Amazon’s Jeff and Mackenzie Bezos donate $2.25 million and create a matching grant that will generate $4.5 million total for allergy research — We already love Amazon because they give us access to allergy friendly foods we just can’t get at our local stores. This is one more huge reason to love and support Amazon!
Silicon Valley entrepreneur and philanthropist Sean Parker donates how much to food allergy research you ask? — How about 24 MILLION DOLLARS with an additional 4 million possible due to a matching grant he created. We’re talkin’ 28 million toward research. Not only did he make the donation he also spoke honestly about his life with food allergies, mentioning the challenges faced especially for kids with food allergies. Thank you Mr. Parker! Hoping I see you in the halls during our next appointment at the Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy Research. I’ll be keeping an eye out for you!
What would you add to this list? Is there anyone in particular you’d like to thank or an event that stands out to you? I’m sure there are many wonderful things I’m leaving out.
Please comment below.
Wishing all of us a safe and happy 2015!
Speak Up!
One of the hardest things I find about managing both life threatening food allergies and asthma is talking to others. I hate to be the one that might be perceived as demanding, pushing or for asking too much. What I now know, fourteen years later, is that honest, clear information presented with kindness works!..
Well…. I would like to add that my restaurant bill requiring training for the food safety manager passed through the Michigan Senate 33-5 and the House 90-19! We’re just waiting for the Governor’s signature. Also in development if the bill passes, is a top of the line training video made by the University of Michigan’s Food Allergy Center’s own allergy experts and will be made available for free to all Michigan restaurants. We are also so thrilled to have Dr. Jim Baker, the standing CEO of FARE as our CEO as well. If this bill passes in Michigan, that means that MI would be the first republican state to adopt this law, and hopefully will pave the way for other conservative states to follow suit. 2014 has been a whirlwind!!
Marla–this is a BIG deal and a huge important piece of work! I didn’t know about the training, video–the more information that is out there the better! Congratulations to Jim Baker too.
Thank you Marla for adding to the list!
The item I would like to add is specific to Nevada. The day a boy in Northern Nevada was saved due to stock Epinephrine was monumental to me–if proved these types of bills/laws do save lives. I was elated to see all of the hard work done by advocates, parents, physicians, organizations and children all came together in one life saving moment.