The Fight for Food Allergy Awareness Continues
On Anaphylaxis Awareness Day, Teen Advisory Group member Zerrin Dulger calls for greater understanding of the dangers faced by the 32 million Americans living with food allergies.
Guest post by Teen Advisory Group member Zerrin Dulger
Food Allergy Awareness Week is a time where members of the food allergy community come together and work to elevate and mature the public's understanding of food allergies. As one of the 32 million Americans that live with food allergies, I am aware of the seriousness of this disease.
I was diagnosed at the age of 1 year with life threatening allergies to peanuts, tree nuts and legumes. I had my first anaphylactic reaction when I was 12 years old, and it is to this day the scariest experience I ever had. The idea of having an allergic reaction and not surviving is a fear that I and many Americans have to live with on a daily basis. However, the seriousness of Food Allergies is oftentimes misunderstood and downplayed by the public.
Many are not aware of the precautions that I and millions of others with food allergies must take every day and do not understand the gravity of things such as cross contamination and anaphylaxis. For this reason, it remains essential that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the fight for food allergy awareness continues.
During this week, FARE has dedicated programming to spread awareness and highlight the experiences of members of the food allergy community. FARE has shared information on research, navigating in our new normal, recipes, stories, and more to help raise awareness.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused the cessation of many things while we all work to get through this difficult period. We must continue to all work together and not let the current situation put a stop to food allergy awareness.
Stay healthy, safe and happy.