Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Allergy Awareness

This blog was launched at the start of Allergy Awareness Week here in Canada. Last week the same was marked south of the border, and this week (May 17th – 23rd) is Food Allergy Awareness Week in Australia. Welcome to my friends at the other end of the world – I’ve noticed visits from Perth last week. :)

As the father of three boys who are allergic to peanuts, I understand the struggle in helping others understand the fears, stresses and alienation that a food allergy can cause, but I’m also thankful for the work that organizations like Anaphylaxis Canada and Anaphylaxis Australia – as well as individuals like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in the States – are doing to bring food allergies forward into the public forum.

As you journey through this week, I urge you to find creative – yet gentle – ways to help friends, family and neighbours learn something of what it’s like to live with a food allergy. Encourage them to take up the 24-hour allergen-free challenge, where they must strive to live one day avoiding a potentially fatal allergen in everything they eat.

While we wait for a cause and cure for these allergies we need to bond together for support, encouragement, and understanding. Isn’t that what we all want?

No comments:

Post a Comment