Food Allergy Hero of the Month: Ellie Williams
By Red Sneaker Ambassador Ellie Williams
Hello Red Sneaker for Oakley community! My name is Ellie Williams, a proud food allergy warrior and Red Sneaker for Oakley Ambassador. I am here to share my food allergy journey and shed light on the work I am doing to raise food allergy awareness.
My food allergy journey began innocently enough in my toddler years. On a sunny day in Florida, my uncle shared a peanut M&M with me. Little did I know at the time, this innocent gesture would change how I interacted and related to food for the rest of my life. After being tested by my allergist, I was soon diagnosed with a life-threatening allergy to peanuts and tree nuts. From then on, I always had my trusty epinephrine at my side. Thanks to my parents and their constant preparedness and vigilance, I never experienced anaphylaxis until my teenage years. This is when life decided to throw me another curveball. I am a competitive volleyball player and I spend a lot of time in the gym practicing and competing. Within a span of less than six months, I went into anaphylaxis twice at volleyball with no known ingestion or cross- contamination of peanuts and tree nuts. That’s when I was diagnosed with Food-Dependent Exercise-Induced Anaphylaxis (FDEIA). FDEIA is a life-threatening, but relatively rare disorder (estimated prevalence of .02%) which occurs mainly in older children and young adults. It occurs when you ingest certain kinds of food that you are not normally allergic to, in my case it is wheat, chicken and lettuce, and then symptoms of anaphylaxis appear upon exercising. It is super challenging to manage, especially for someone like me who lives and breathes volleyball, but in my mind, challenges make us stronger. This added layer of complexity fueled my desire to know more, raise awareness, educate others, and create positive change.
In my quest to turn challenges into opportunities, I launched an Instagram page, @no_nuts_for_me_. Here I share my personal experiences, allergy management tips, valuable insights, and motivational quotes. I hope you will take a moment to follow me and join the dialogue on the realities of living with food allergies. Connecting with the food allergy community has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my journey to date. I have found that in this community, no one stands alone.
Understanding that actions speak louder than words, I recently hosted a fundraiser in Oakley’s honor. I know he loved sports, just as much as I do, so I sold custom hats for my brother’s basketball club whose team color is red. All the proceeds went directly to Red Sneakers for Oakley to further the foundation's mission of promoting allergy awareness and safety. I know it is only a small contribution, but I truly believe that each post, fundraiser, shared story, or small act of kindness can make a significant impact in raising awareness and working towards a future where food allergies are better understood, managed and ultimately cured.
A heartfelt thanks to the Red Sneaker for Oakley foundation for granting me the opportunity to be a RSFO Ambassador. Oakley’s legacy lives on every day and truly inspires me. He made a mark on this world that cannot be erased. So, in his honor, I encourage you to become a food allergy advocate and foster positive change. Let’s make it our goal to work towards a future where no family has to endure the pain of losing a loved one to food allergies.
Please join me on Instagram: @no_nuts_for_me_
