Well, I don’t actually believe “Random Acts of Kindness” are random anymore. Micki, an incredible stranger from Chicago, started out by offering a random act of kindness that has triggered an entire series of meetings and brainstorming that will most likely end up with a new program being established in our community to protect children with food allergies. My friend, John Leonard, (studio jeweler extraordinaire) and wise soul always reminds me that, “there are no accidents in life…” I think he is right!
As you may know, I’ve been posting my concerns, conversations and hopes regarding Dey, the makers of Epi Pens® and my perceived potential danger from single Epi Pens® no longer being sold. My main concern is that families who can barely afford a single Epi Pen® will not be able to afford the 2-pack and will simply not purchase life saving epinephrine, (I paid a little over $100 for a single not long ago and over $200 for a 2-pack). Thus, leaving thousands at risk for a life threatening allergic reaction with NO life saving medications on hand! Micki may have “accidentally” kicked off a solution to this problem with her kindness.
After reading my blog, Micki from Chicago emailed me and offered to donate money to help keep at least one child safe! Incredible! I was stunned and brought to tears knowing that someone out there really does care about the kids in our food allergy community and they get our challenges. Micki does not have children with food allergies, but has a good friend who does and she understands our world whole heartedly. I happily received her check and deposited it into my local food allergy and asthma parent education group’s (which I am a co-leader) bank account since we are a 501 c (3). Oh by the way we are the Northern Nevada Asthma and Food Allergy Parent Education Group (AAPE to those who know and love us)
Next up was noodling through how to facilitate purchasing Epi Pens® for a child in need in our community. So, I picked up the phone and called the Director of Student Health Services for our large school district. After some brainstorming, she pointed me in the direction of the Care Chest of Sierra Nevada, a local non-profit that helps provides free medical equipment and emergency medications to those in financial need. Long story short, after hearing my concerns, we decided to host a brainstorming session inviting in other local non-profits that are concerned with the health and well-being of children in our community to discuss establishing an access to Epi Pen® program! We are also going to brainstorm the topic of schools maintaining stock Epi Pens® (I will post next week about the stock epinephrine) and writing grants to cover the costs of the Epi Pens®.
So…it is safe to say that Micki’s Random Act of Kindness has snowballed into a community rallying to establish a full-blown program to ensure no child in our “village” is ever put at risk for a life threatening allergic reaction. We will meet after the New Year and I will post our progress and brainstorming. I am just THRILLED that we are looking for a solution to access to life saving epinephrine! I have great confidence that we will be able to create some sort of solution.
Thank you Micki for sparking new ideas and the spirit of finding working solutions!
If you live in the Reno, NV area and want to be in the loop as we brainstorm, please send me an email or comment!
Today I am grateful for Micki-a person I don’t know who has touched our lives and is making a difference in the world, the internet that has shown me how small our world is and for the moisture in the air that is helping my daughter’s asthma today!
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!..
And you, Caroline, are one of the kindest of them all!!!
Happy New Year to a fabulous woman.
Wow! That is amazing!