Unchartered Waters to Unwavering Drive
By Katie Holl
We didn’t know what life would look like when our oldest daughter was diagnosed with multiple food allergies at six months. We felt like we were in uncharted waters without a compass riddled with anxiety and often the fear of the unknown.
Those first few years were a huge learning curve for us. I didn’t find support groups or even much education for the first few years.
Fast forward, we now have three beautiful children, all whom also happen to have multiple food allergies. Between the three of them, we manage dairy, egg, peanut, shrimp, and tree nut allergies. Our oldest both have asthma as well.
Once we finally found our groove managing food allergies and what worked for us, I realized how little knowledge people had about food allergies or made many assumptions.
What I learned was that unless you experience something yourself, it’s hard to understand it. So I made it my mission to figure out a way to spread more food allergy education and awareness. It took me a few years and initially I landed on developing a non-profit to go and educate teachers, daycare workers, and the general public.
But then I found organizations like Red Sneakers for Oakley, FARE, Elijah-Alavi Foundation, and others that were already doing such incredible work in this way. I didn’t need to recreate the wheel. So back to the drawing board.
About a year later, it finally came to me. Something that wasn’t as common to find, but needed. A children’s book! I realized that I really wanted to educate everyone, especially young children, so they could grow up being supporters and food allergy friends. I also knew adults would be reading to their children and may pick up on some information themselves.
I’ve seen firsthand how friends of our kids support them because they share with them what they can or cannot have. I want that for all food allergy children. So I self-published my first book called Charlie Learns About Her Food Allergies following our own experiences.
I wanted this book to not only be educational for new or non-food allergy families, but also empowering for those living with food allergies. This book highlights what a food allergy is, how someone is diagnosed, what the top 9 allergens are, and how food allergy children can be supported. It also shares the special skills children with food allergies acquire at a young age.
Our goal is to continue to spread food allergy awareness through children’s books with additional books covering topics like traveling, holidays and celebrations, daycare and school, and others to show that kids with food allergies can do anything others can, it just may look a little different sometimes.
Click here to see our first book for yourself and order a copy for your home, public library, or school! Use code: RSFO to receive 10% off your order!
