On Sunday morning, September 14th 2014, there will be a very special golf tournament held in Carson City, Nevada to honor the memory of Kerri Oxoby. On Christmas night, 1998 (the year my son was born), newlywed Kerri ate a familiar chocolate candy bar on Christmas Eve that had always been safe and went into Anaphylactic Shock. Unfortunately, there was a recipe change and the bar contained nuts. Epinephrine was not immediately available and after almost three years of being unable to move or speak, she died of pneumonia. She grew up knowing about her food allergies and had managed them well. Her story is a painful tragedy and a huge lesson for all of us regarding label reading and being prepared. Please consider sending a donation or participating in this event if you live in Northern Nevada. All monies raised will continue providing college scholarships for students attending Carson City High School. Her story is incredible and touches my heart since her mother Shirley, without knowing me at the time, shared Kerri’s photo and story for a scrap book we gave to Senator Harry Reid as we advocated for school guidelines back in 2005.
Click on this link to the flyer for the Kerri Oxoby Memorial Scholarship Golf Tournment for more details! There will also be a BBQ following the golf tournament (I hear that Silent Warrior – A Journey of Hope will be published and Kerri’s mother Shirley will be signing the first copies)
As life brings us together, I was able to find Shirley after all these years and soon realized we had a mutual friend who lives in California (small world, right). When we visited, she told me about her upcoming book, Silent Warrior – A Journey of Hope, which details those years that Kerri fought to return from her allergic reaction. I’ve had a sneak peek and it’s beautiful and very moving. When I first called Shirley to ask about Kerri and sharing her story with legislators, I was scared to call her. I did not want to invade her privacy. She wanted Kerri’s story told so that we could all learn and make life saving change. Years passed and several months ago, I searched the internet and found her husband’s number and called to mention that I talked about Kerry is my blog post on Love Remembers Day-Celebrating those Lost to Anaphylaxis. I was able to finally meet Shirley in person and just adored her instantly! I was anxious to tell her how life saving change has taken place. She was strong, loving and committed to keeping her daughter’s memory alive by supporting others.
Eat Cake For Breakfast
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!..