Last week was very exciting and energizing as we continue our work to see a bill this upcoming 77th Regular Legislative Session in Nevada seeking Stock Epinephrine in Schools! Leading our food allergy charge is Debbie Smith, who after tomorrow’s voting will hopefully become Senator Nevada Legislative Committee on Healthcare. She met with me late last spring as I detailed the needs of the children of Nevada. Instantly, she was on board–her own grandchild has life threatening food allergies and grandma takes this disease very seriously and was concerned for Nevada’s school children.
Since spring, we’ve been working with the Debbie Smith and various stakeholders. Nevada Legislative Committee on Healthcare has whole heartedly committed to securing stock epinephrine in schools! Our goal: to see a bill this February, 2013, that will be thoughtfully researched and written that will protect students with food allergies while at school in addition to protecting the undiagnosed student who may experience their first reaction at school. Once February arrives, plan on jumping aboard and voicing your needs in support of this bill to your representatives!
There have been a few important keys I have learned along the way: legislators can not make good decisions if we do not share our needs and clearly explain their value-they need and want to hear from us; there is an extraordinary amount of work that goes into writing a bill so that all parties involved have their needs met and that the task at hand is legal, appropriate and reasonable–I am humbled by this process and those in our community to dedicate and volunteer their time to fight the right fight.
Stay tuned to February to hear about our course of action and how you can make a difference and if you don’t live in Nevada, I’ll hope for your good thoughts being sent this way!!
Most of all, thank you Nevada Legislative Committee on Healthcare for leading our charge and creating our pathway to keeping students with life threatening food allergies (bee sting allergies too) safer while at school. Good luck at the polls on Tuesday!!!
Happy Monday–I hope this week brings you peace, great food and good times.
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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!..
Go Debbie Smith!! An advocate for her constituents!!
I am very pleased that she is listening and taking action!!
As a former resident of one of the ‘pollen capitals’ of California and one who as a child was undiagnosed and misdiagnosed many times until my asthma reached a peak one day requiring emergency intervention on a weekend when my family was able to take me in alarmed that even my lips and skin were turning blue and nothing in our home medicine cabinet could help. If it is true that the school nurse is not permitted to have emergency supplies such as epinephrine on hand then I am all for this bill.
Oh Debbie, how scary for you as a child! We’re working on hard on bringing this bill to light, so please stay in touch. Things should come to fruition soon. I should say life saving things should come to fruition.