It’s Food Allergy Awareness Week!

It’s Food Allergy Awareness Week again, and guess what?  Food allergies and the food-allergic are still here… and we’re still allergic.  We’re still informing you about cross-contamination and safety.

A song from Kyle Dine:

Some #FAAW tweets from my #FoodAllergy tweeps:

The #FoodAllergy Awareness Week slogan seems to be: Exclude the food, not the child. Good advice!—
Jenny Kales (@nut_freemom) May 14, 2012

Our Story : The Good, The Bad, And The Food Allergies: Food Allergy Awareness Week May 13- May 19 2012 zumfamily.blogspot.com/2012/05/food-a… #foodallergy—
chupieandjsmama (@chupieandjsmama) May 14, 2012

Every day, hour, and minute is #FAAW when you have a #foodallergic child—
Susan Weissman (@susanweissman) May 14, 2012

Sample chapter of Allergic Girl for only $1.50 for #FAAW – bit.ly/JNU038—
Sloane Miller (@allergicgirl) May 14, 2012

My #FAAW started like this (cartoon): foodallergyfun.blogspot.com/2012/05/ignore…—
Tiffany (@iknowtiffany) May 14, 2012

Be sure to RSVP 4 the #FAAW #foodallergy twitter party 8pm eastern May 15 RSVP to bit.ly/IrpCj6—
Food Allergy Buzz (@FoodAllergyBuzz) May 14, 2012

@allergyeats Launched an app to find allergy friendly restaurants. share restos based on user rating. yelp for #foodallergy #haroundtable—
WEGO Health (@wegohealth) May 14, 2012

Anaphylaxis can have 3 patterns. Read more for #FAAW community.kidswithfoodallergies.org/displaycontent… Food allergy education saves lives #foodallergy—
Melanie Carver (@AllergicVegan) May 14, 2012

A lot of people push for government recognition or regulation.  I look for a consumer push, and recognition from the general populace.  We can all agree that we need to convey the seriousness of cross-contamination with foods… at schools, in restaurants, at home… and everywhere.

Learn more about what you can do here:  Raising Awareness, Making an Impact

Check out my Food Allergy related posts here:  Allergies

Photo of skin test about 15 minutes after the application of allergens and the scratching. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I hope to do the Food Allergy Walk in Pittsburgh again this year.  Perhaps I can pull together a team or get even more sponsors than last year?  Your donations were incredible last year.

Also… don’t forget, Adults can have food allergies too.  We don’t “grow out” of them.  We can’t “just pick it off” or “have just a little”.  It’s a very serious thing.

So, how are you celebrating Food Allergy Awareness Week?

Related articles

• Food Allergies in the Workplace are Not Always What They Seem – Forbes (drugstoresource.wordpress.com)
• Thinking about food allergies (drdavidsmithson.com)
• Mylan Specialty L.P. Commemorates 15th Annual Food Allergy Awareness Week (sacbee.com)
• Dey Mylan’s irrisponsibile TV ad and its possible consiquences… (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• Cross-reactivity between peanuts and other legumes can lead to serious allergic reactions (medicalxpress.com)
• Food Allergy Awareness Week (allergicworld.wordpress.com)
• Health Canada reminds Canadians of importance of food allergy awareness (vancouversun.com)
• Food Allergy Awareness Week is Coming Up (allergicworld.wordpress.com)
• Enjoy Life Plentils Review (sprinklesandallergies.com)
• Health Canada’s tips on managing food allergies (life.nationalpost.com)
• It’s What We’re For…Not What We’re Against (thefoodallergymom.wordpress.com)
• Diagnosing and Managing Your Allergies – The Soy Connection – Health & Nutrition – United Soybean Board (soyconnection.com)
• Share your food allergy story to help a student [from Allergy Eats] (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• Food Allergy Twitter Party (itchylittleworld.wordpress.com)
• Food Allergy & Intolerance: A Guide for Practitioners – The Soy Connection – Health & Nutrition – United Soybean Board (soyconnection.com)
• “Survival Guide” Serves as Key Resource for Food Allergy and Intolerance Community (prweb.com)
• {strict avoidance} Celebrating w/ Food Allergies (fromscratchclub.com)
• Sheetz “gets it” with my aversion to deathfish. ☺ (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• Food Allergy Eats (mommyhatescooking.com)
• Website rates restaurants on allergy friendliness (sfgate.com)
• Boy with ‘cardboard skin’ copes with rare allergy (stuff.co.nz)
• Results of New Study Offers Potential Clues About How Peanut Allergy Emerges (allergicworld.wordpress.com)
• A kiss can trigger food, drug allergy (upi.com)
• Food Allergies (drysdaleosteopathy.wordpress.com)

The Science of Anaphylaxis / We Need Epi-Pens in Schools!

Lots of food allergy stuff going on….

• The Allergist Mom | The Science of Anaphylaxis – An Allergic Storm – Great article by The Allergist Mom. Knowledge is power & all that.  Might be scary for some.  It’s very informative!
• Bloomberg | Deaths Show Schools Need Power of the EpiPen: Margaret Carlson – “EpiPens aren’t as widely available as defibrillators, though they should be — especially in schools. As the device’s name suggests, it is the size of a thick Sharpie marker and contains a dose of epinephrine, which is injected into the thigh. It gives an adrenaline jolt to the heart, dilates breathing passages and buys time to get a patient to the hospital before anaphylaxis sets in. It’s simple enough for a child to use.” (From Kids With Food Allergies.)
• Please Don’t Pass The Nuts™ | School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act – Get on this.  FAAN has more information on how to contact your local representative about these two bills that could save a child’s life. Act now.

FAAN

Related articles

• Safety Information on the Correct Use of EpiPens (sea2skyservices.com)
• Allergy Death at School: When Do Morals Override Policy? (my.psychologytoday.com)
• Is a Dead 1st Grader Enough Incentive To Change? (drewdowns.net)
• Ask Your Senator to Support the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• Allergic Girl Who Died at School Got Peanut From Another Child – ABC News (abcnews.go.com)
• Epi Pen Bill! (The School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act) (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• Should schools stock EpiPens to rescue allergic students? (timesunion.com)
• The Allergic Kid | No More Dead Children (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)

Ask Your Senator to Support the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act

Got this email from FAAN, thought I’d share.  This is your call to action:

From: Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN)
To: <me>
Sent: Thursday, November 17, 2011 3:40 PM
Subject: Ask Your Senator to Support the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act

The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN)

Dear Eric,The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN™) has been working with U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) on federal legislation that would encourage states to adopt laws requiring schools to have on hand “stock” epinephrine auto-injectors – meaning epinephrine that is not prescribed specifically to a single student but can be used for any student and staff member in an anaphylactic emergency. Today this bill (S. 1884), the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act, was introduced in the Senate. Sen. Kirk with Brianna and Rhonda Adkins, and FAAN CEO Maria Acebal on Capitol Hill Tuesday, Nov. 15. Earlier this week, FAAN CEO Maria L. Acebal, joined by Rhonda Adkins, wife of country music superstar and Celebrity Ambassador Who Cares Trace Adkins, and Adkins’s young daughter Brianna, visited lawmakers on Capitol Hill to urge them to support this lifesaving legislation. Now we need your help to get your senators’ support! Please download our sample letter of support, personalize it, and send it to their senators. You can look up your local senators at www.senate.gov. In addition to protecting those whose epinephrine auto-injector isn’t immediately accessible during a reaction, this legislation will help save the lives of those who experience an anaphylactic reaction and don’t have a prescribed epinephrine auto-injector. Data shows that up to 25% of all epinephrine administrations that occur in the school setting involve students and adult staffers whose allergy was unknown at the time of the event. Only a handful of states have laws related to stock epinephrine. S. 1884, however, will provide an incentive for states to enact their own laws allowing school personnel to keep and administer a non-student specific epinephrine auto-injector in case of an emergency. (The state laws would be similar to the ones enacted in Illinois and Georgia in 2011.) Thank you for your help gathering support for S. 1884. We will keep you posted as FAAN continues to work to secure passage of this important legislation. Together, we can save the lives of those with potentially life-threatening food allergies. Sincerely, The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network

FAAN (The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network) 11781 Lee Jackson Highway, Suite 160 | Fairfax, VA 22033-3309 (800) 929-4040 | faan © Copyright 2011 If you no longer wish to receive these emails, please unsubscribe.

Here’s that sample letter:

MODEL Letter of Support for the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act

Note:  Please paraphrase.  It is important that Senators do not receive duplicates of the same letter from different individuals. You can look up your local senators at www.senate.gov.

 

The Honorable (insert Senator’s name)

United States Senate

Washington, DC  20510

Dear Senator (insert name):

I am writing to ask you to co-sponsor S. 1884, the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act, introduced by Senators Dick Durbin and Mark Kirk. I am the parent of a child with severe food allergies.  (Personalize here by inserting a brief description of your child’s allergies.)

Children with food allergies are at risk for anaphylaxis, a serious allergic reaction that is rapid in onset and may cause death. To prevent death, anaphylaxis must be treated promptly with an injection of epinephrine. The Durbin-Kirk bill would encourage states to ensure that epinephrine is available in schools and that school personnel are trained to administer it in an emergency. Epinephrine is safe and easy to administer. Children are able to self-administer the medication, and any adult working in a school would be capable of learning how to administer epinephrine in a matter of minutes.

Nearly 6 million American children have potentially life-threatening food allergies. Schools need to be prepared to treat allergic reactions in the event a student’s personal epinephrine auto-injector isn’t available or the student is having a reaction for the first time.

The School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act is not a controversial bill. It is endorsed by the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the National Association of School Nurses. On average it will cost a school just over $100 to have epinephrine available to prevent a fatality from anaphylaxis. This is a small price to pay to save the life of a child.

I hope you will co-sponsor the Durbin-Kirk bill and work to assure passage of this legislation. Thank you for considering my views.

Sincerely,

Now, get to work!

Related articles

• Contact Your Senator To Ask For Their Support of Legislation for Life-Saving Epinephrine in Schools (thefoodallergymom.wordpress.com)
• Proposed Bill For Emergency Epinephrine In Schools (thefoodallergymom.wordpress.com)
• Epi-Essentials Announces New Product Launch for Individuals with Anaphylactic Allergies (prweb.com)
• The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network’s Walk for Food Allergy 2011 (Find A Walk Near You) (thefoodallergymom.wordpress.com)
• Back To School Series Part 3: School and Food Allergy Basics (thefoodallergymom.wordpress.com)
• Sponsor me for FAAN’s Pittsburgh Food Allergy Walk 2011? (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)

Epi Pen Bill! (The School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act)

I haven’t written about food allergies in a while.  I would think that Epi-Man would be pleased with this post.  Check out this article about legislation being brought forth to give easier access to epinephrine auto-injectors and their administration by school staff.

Image via Wikipedia

Read all about the The School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act at the FAAN website.

Image by raindrift via Flickr

I’m not big on the gub’ment micro-managing… but how can I not get behind this?  I’d like to see something like this eventually passed for restaurants too.  Why not have one more step in keeping kids & adults safe?

Yes, the act is aimed at kids with food allergies… but us adults are out there too.  What if a teacher, administrator, janitor, nurse, or anyone else on site has a life-threatening food allergy?  This kind of thing could come in handy for all of us out there.

Keep watching the news, I hope this gets passed soon and without any political shenanigans.

Epi-men!

Related articles

• Proposed Bill For Emergency Epinephrine In Schools (thefoodallergymom.wordpress.com)
• Epi-Essentials Announces New Product Launch for Individuals with Anaphylactic Allergies (prweb.com)
• What is it that restaurants don’t get about food allergies? (thechefstableblog.com)
• Welcome! (iusedmyepi.wordpress.com)
• Epi-Essentials Creates Epi-Pen Purses | Stylish Accessories for Holding Allergy Medications (bagbunch.com)
• Helping Families Manage Food Allergy in Schools: Tips and Tools for the Allergist and Nonallergist (myallergysupport.wordpress.com)
• Hosting a Child with a Food Allergy – What You Need to Know (itchylittleworld.wordpress.com)
• Carabiner Allergy Injectors – ‘Epi-Inject’ by Maria Pitallano is the Latest Non-Stab Clip-on EpiPen (TrendHunter.com) (trendhunter.com)
• Grieving father on a mission to fight food allergies (mercurynews.com)
• Anaphylaxis (obnoxiouslyswag.wordpress.com)

Pittsburgh’s Food Allergy Walk 2011 Recap

4th out of the 5 top individual earners!

So, we had a great time on Sunday at the Pittsburgh Food Allergy Walk!  I was honored to receive a certificate for being a top individual fundraiser, and glad I could help.  I was also asked to perhaps take part in getting the word out next year, and maybe be in on some of the planning.  My online chatter was picked up by this year’s volunteer chair Uwe Winzen, as well as the founder of EpiMoms (I’m a terrible person, I forgot her name already).  How cool is that?

(I say next year, we get the 501st Legion out there!  -  Looks like they appeared at some other cities’ food allergy walks!)

Campaign Progress - Goal: $50,000.00 Achieved: $39,333.05

As of right now, the site states that we raised $39,333.05 toward the $50k goal.  I head a number in the $40 range on Sunday, but perhaps they’re still tallying cash & check donations made the day of the walk.  With online & offline donations, I raised $560.55 and Bethany raised $106.85… so we raised a total of $667.40.  We quite literally could not have done it without the support of our friends & family.

I did notice that I was in the minority… all the walkers received a ribbon: Blue for people with food allergies, green for friends & family supporters.  I didn’t see too many people my age or older with blue ribbons.  It seemed to be a core of families who had small children & young teens with food allergies.

Kyle Dine

It was fun to finally meet & see a performance from Kyle Dine after talking via Twitter & Facebook.  After all, we do represent the #FoodAllergyDudeArmy.  Kyle does great work educating kids on what to do regarding not taking food from just anyone, getting an adult to read labels, and speaking out right away about reactions…  as well as letting them know they’re not alone.  I also got to personally thank local celebrity Sally Wiggin for her generous donation!  She called me a sweetheart. ❤

I have some photos up on Facebook, and hope to send them to FAAN so they can be placed in their Flickr photostream.  Hopefully others will comment on the day’s events at the Pittsburgh Food Allergy Walk Facebook Page.

Got a nice little video thank-you from FAAN too:

Smiley Cookie

One of the coolest things I took away from the day was talking to Chef Regis Holden from Eat ‘n Park about their food allergy policies & procedures.  He told us how he worked with Bill Moore, their Director of Safety and Security, to develop practices from marking the order, to looking up all of the ingredients with possible cross-contaminants, to this awesome little purple kit with a sterile sanitary contaminant-free cutting board, knife, tongs, and other tools.  Chef Holden also spoke of yearly allergen training video refreshers, and of how he had just recently heard good things about the Eat ‘n Park on Banksville Road which is nearby.  I may just have to go see for myself, and blog about their process and my adventure!

Thanks again to everyone who gave us donations, and to the walk organizers.  I think we did some good work for FAAN!

Related articles

• Food Allergies Don’t Keep Children from Visiting Theme Park (prweb.com)
• Enjoy Life Foods Second Fastest Growing Food & Beverage Company in the Chicagoland (prweb.com)
• Parents Preparing Special, Dietary Lunches on the Rise (prweb.com)
• Still taking donations for the Food Allergy Walk (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• Thanks to everyone who donated for the Food Allergy Walk! (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• Crazy weekend. (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• Food Allergy Walk Pittsburgh – Sept. 18th, 2011! (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• Sponsor me for FAAN’s Pittsburgh Food Allergy Walk 2011? (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• Celebrity Endorsement? (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• New AllergyEats App (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• OK, sponsor me or Bethany for the 2011 Food Allergy Walk in Pittsburgh! (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• This won’t REALLY kill you, will it? Let’s see… (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• The Story Of That Girl, The One I Almost Killed (via Blurt) (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)

Thanks to everyone who donated for the Food Allergy Walk!

Thanks to everyone who donated to me for the Food Allergy Walk on Sunday. The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network appreciates your donation, as do I!  I have smashed my original $300 goal, and now exceeded my current $500 goal.  I couldn’t have done it without the awesome support from friends & family!

If you were thinking of donating, but hadn’t yet… I’d like to still smash that goal, or you can donate to the lovely Bethany and help her reach her goal!

Related articles

• Still taking donations for the Food Allergy Walk (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• Sponsor me for FAAN’s Pittsburgh Food Allergy Walk 2011? (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• OK, sponsor me or Bethany for the 2011 Food Allergy Walk in Pittsburgh! (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• New AllergyEats App (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• Shleppers Supports 2010 FAAN Walk Events (prweb.com)
• Food Allergy Walk Pittsburgh – Sept. 18th, 2011! (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• This won’t REALLY kill you, will it? Let’s see… (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• Celebrity Endorsement? (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• Subway still sucks, so does IHOP, take your allergy-sniffing dog there with you… (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• The Story Of That Girl, The One I Almost Killed (via Blurt) (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)

Subway still sucks, so does IHOP, take your allergy-sniffing dog there with you…

Some good food allergy articles popping up lately, if you’re paying attention:

• Allergies in the classroom: What’s OK to send in for snack time?  -  Some good tips.  Not sure if I’m 100% on-board with banning stuff in schools & classrooms.  I’d just promote safety a little more.
• Subway expanding gluten-free test – Subway is still clueless.  They’re pushing the gluten free fad as far as they can with as little effort as possible, all while making a big deal about it & ignoring that other allergens exist.  (Read the comments.)
• IHOP flops – IHOP owed by the same company that owns Crapplebees, also could not give a crap about your food allergies.  Try the new effortless lemon-zest dairy-free salad today! (Read the comments.)
• $20,000 allergy-sniffing dog is a real lifesaver – Such a great idea!  Too bad it’s a $20K price tag.  I’d love to have a deathfish-detecting pooch.  I’d also train him to poop right outside of Subway restaurants.
• Managing your food allergies in dining halls and dorm rooms – It’s back to school time.  Solid advice from a real expert.  I’m all about the buddy system.  Friends that look out for your best interest as far as not dying are friends for life.

So yeah, stuff’s happening.  I’m really just posting this to say… we’re out there.

Still taking donations for the Food Allergy Walk

90% towards my goal of $500!

That’s right, Bethany & I are still taking donations for the Food Allergy Walk in  Pittsburgh.  It’s happening this Sunday, Sept. 18th at 11:00 am.  You can make a secure online tax-deductible donation for either of us, to help us meet our prospective goals, or you can hook us up with a check made out to FAAN.

• Donate to Bethany for FAAN!
• Donate to me for FAAN!

Support me!

Just click the blue “Support Me” button under each of our photos on our respective profiles to donate!

You can read my older posts about the walk for more info:

• Food Allergy Walk Pittsburgh – Sept. 18th, 2011!
• Sponsor me for FAAN’s Pittsburgh Food Allergy Walk 2011?
• OK, sponsor me or Bethany for the 2011 Food Allergy Walk in Pittsburgh!
• Celebrity Endorsement?

If you’re following the “Celebrity Endorsement” thing, Andrew Stockey did eventually contact me & agree to help get the word out on WTAE.com.  I still haven’t’ seen anything there yet.

Interestingly, Qdoba & Chick-fil-A also said they’d donate something, yet they haven’t online yet anyway.  I’m going to have to remind them.

You can also read all of my Food Allergy related posts if interested in learning more about food allergies form an outspoken crazy blogger.

More from the Food Allergy Walk Facebook Page…

The Walk in Pittsburgh will feature lots activities, such as: face painting, balloon artist, trackless train, mad science and inflatables. We will have a musical performance by Kyle Dine and be joined by Pittsburgh Panthers mascot ROC.

We look forward to once again welcoming Sally Wiggin and Stephen Cropper. Following the Walk, will be Q&A session with allergists from AGH and UPMC who have volunteered their time. Rep. Matt Smith will join us to share information about the new EpiPen laws in PA.

You can get one of these limited edition T-shirts for donating $50 or more, thanks to Erin “Ernie” Payne:

Special Edition King Krab Orange Ernie and the Berts T-Shirt

Related articles

• Celebrity Endorsement? (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• Sponsor me for FAAN’s Pittsburgh Food Allergy Walk 2011? (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• New AllergyEats App (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• OK, sponsor me or Bethany for the 2011 Food Allergy Walk in Pittsburgh! (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• Food Allergy Walk Pittsburgh – Sept. 18th, 2011! (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• The Story Of That Girl, The One I Almost Killed (via Blurt) (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• This won’t REALLY kill you, will it? Let’s see… (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• Cleanliness and awesomeness at Market District in Robinson (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• Get your new Ernie and the Berts T-Shirts! (via Ernie and the Berts) (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• Do You Know Someone With a Food Allergy? (fitsugar.com)
• Do You Know Nuts About Food Allergies? (fitsugar.com)
• Food Allergies On The Go; Life Simplified by iPhone Apps (thefoodallergymom.wordpress.com)

New AllergyEats App

So, I’ve blogged about Allergy Eats many times before.  You know I think it’s an awesome resource, but can only be useful if users rate restaurants.  Now, it’s easier than ever to do… with new iPhone and Android apps!

AllergyEats Apps!

AllergyEats.com

You can read the word from Allergy Eats about the release here or get the app you need here.

Paul from AllergyEats is good people, he recently donated to FAAN for my Food Allergy Walk in Pittsburgh!

I encourage you to spread the word to anyone that you know with food allergies, so we can all take advantage of the awesome ever-expanding database now available anywhere that you can get cell phone service!

@AllergyBird That is SO what I want to hear! ("agree I'll b less lazy abt providing input now")—
  (@AllergyEats) August 31, 2011

THE ALLERGYEATS MOBILE APP IS HERE!!! fb.me/KbY3Vv07—
Sloane Miller (@allergicgirl) August 31, 2011

Related articles

• Celebrity Endorsement? (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• OK, sponsor me or Bethany for the 2011 Food Allergy Walk in Pittsburgh! (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• Carrabba’s A Friend to FAAN (thefoodallergymom.wordpress.com)
• 16 Tips for Dining Out With Food Allergies (via Calorie Lab) (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)

Celebrity Endorsement?

Sally Wiggin ❹

None can argue with the awesomeness of local celebrity, WATE-TV‘s own Sally Wiggin.  If you do argue, I’ll fight you.  Sally is awesome, in fact… she’s so awesome, that her hair has it’s own Twitter account.  You can find Sally on Wikipedia, Twitter, & Facebook (a few times).  (There’s even a page called “Sally Wiggin Out” on Facebook.)  She’s a phenomenon.

Since Andrew Stockey is on Facebook all the time (he’s on Twitter too) , I was feeling goofy & decided to try & goad him into making a donation to the Pittsburgh Food Allergy Walk by invoking the name Sally Wiggin, as she’s the “Local Honorary Media Chair”…

Not gonna let Sally Wiggin get all attention...

Somehow, Sally must have interpreted this as me asking her personally for a donation, as this appeared on my wall a few days later…

I did as you asked. Can't wait to meet you and Bethany at the walk.

And she did!  You can see that Sarah Wiggin has generally made a contribution to my food allergy walk donation page: http://wwwofoodallergywalk.org/aixelsyd13

(This also humorously qualifies her for a limited run “king krab orange” T-shirt from Ernie of Ernie and the Berts – planning on giving her one at the walk, wonder if she’ll wear it?)

I’m not far from getting my name in the “top fundraisers” list on the Pittsburgh walk page.  Those people are still getting donations too… so keep ‘em coming!

This post is to celebrate the generosity of Sally Wiggin, and to try and get other local celebrities and organizations to step up & donate… for a chance to be awesome like Sally.  (I have also received some initial contact from Chick-fil-A, Qdoba, & Giant Eagle… though no donations as of yet.)

You can also donate to my wife, Bethany… she’s not quite as “aggressive” as I am in collecting donations.  You can listen to this while you dig out your credit card…

Related articles

• Food Allergy Walk Pittsburgh – Sept. 18th, 2011! (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• Sponsor me for FAAN’s Pittsburgh Food Allergy Walk 2011? (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• OK, sponsor me or Bethany for the 2011 Food Allergy Walk in Pittsburgh! (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• This won’t REALLY kill you, will it? Let’s see… (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)
• The Story Of That Girl, The One I Almost Killed (via Blurt) (aixelsyd13.wordpress.com)