As you may already know, I appreciate the hard work from Nevada Senator Debbie Smith regarding SB453 Epinephrine in Schools. As a grandmother of a food allergic child, Senator Smith understands the serious nature of life threatening food allergies. Equally exciting was our visit yesterday to the Nevada State Legislature to participate in the Senate Health and Human Services committee hearing where SB453 was presented. Not only for the obvious reasons that our cherished bill was being heard, but the Chairman Justin Jones had his staff prepare the hearing room to accommodate our nut allergic children testifying and attending the hearing.
His staff wiped down the entire room after the last hearing to reduce any risk of cross contact from folks previously in the room. Then they posted signs outside and inside of the hearing room directing that nuts should not be consumed. I’m not talking just one sign, but several, you really had to be not paying attention to miss those! When the hearing was about to begin, he made an announcement regarding refraining from eating nuts and that there were children attending with food allergies. Senator Hardy also commented on the severity of food allergies to ensure attendees understood!
photo courtesy of Jones for Nevada
Can we talk inclusion? Can we talk about how that made all the other children feel in the room? They were thrilled that people cared about supporting their invisible disease and wanted to insure their participation in the democratic process! This is the kind of leadership that makes me very proud to live in Nevada.
Part of the Reno group (photos of the Vegas crew coming soon)
My son explained that the woman sitting next to him started a conversation about food allergies. When we have conversation, we invite education, when we invite education, we move closer to safer situations and inclusion. The day was good.
Yum: Nut Egg Dairy Free Choc Chip Cookies
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!..
Bravo Caroline, a victory on so many levels!!!
Thanks Ally, one thing I really enjoyed was that in both Las Vegas and Reno, we wore the same stickers in support of this bill.
There is such a beauty in being part of a statewide goal and seeing how both food allergy and non-food allergy families work together virtually!
There are several more hurdles in front of us but this was a big one to jump.