Happy Mother’s Day! Well it is in America anyway. It is also the start of their allergy awareness week so I wanted to take this chance to recognise some of the formidable allergy mums I met last week at the Allergy And Asthma Network summit in Washington DC.
These mums are going out of their way to advocate for their families, find some positive in an allergy diagnosis and work together to support each other and the whole community. They are strong, inspirational women who I am proud to work alongside.
What an amazing group of allergy and asthma advocates! They are not all allergy mums (or dads) but every one is making a difference in their communities.
Stephanie Lowe – Turn It Teal
Tomorrow the Emirates Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth is being lit up in teal for allergy awareness. Do you know who made that happen? An amazing mum of three from Ohio. Stephanie’s story illustrates how a seed of an idea can grow into a global movement. After applying to light up a local building, she just kept going and five years later, she is responsible for turning over 50 buildings teal worldwide!
Sharon Wong – Nut Free Wok
I have been following Sharon on social media for years so it was such a pleasure to meet her in person this week. She first started recording her recipes for her two food allergic sons and set up her blog in 2013 to show people how to cook Asian food without nuts. She has since shared hundreds of recipes and become a trusted voice in the food allergy community.
Erin Malawer – Allergy Shmallergy
Erin started her blog, like many of us, when her son was diagnosed with multiple food allergies. I love her philosophy that living safely with allergies doesn’t slow her family down and is where the name ‘Allergy Shmallergy’ comes from. Erin is a former US diplomat and uses her vast skills to advise companies, schools and restaurants on allergies.
Susan Kelly – Mom Nurse Food Allergies
I had not connected with Susan online before meeting her this year but was instantly struck by her warmth and friendliness. She is a registered nurse, working for an allergist, and also two of her four daughters deal with allergies and EOE. She runs the popular Facebook group Friends Help Friends With Food Allergies as well as a local support group in Long Island, New York.
Lynda Mitchell – Kids with food allergies
Lynda is a pioneer in the food allergy community after setting up Kids With Food Allergies over twenty years ago because there was nothing available for allergy families like hers. She is so humble and welcoming yet has such a wealth of knowledge and has achieved so much, recently retiring as Chief Operating Officer of Allergy And Asthma Foundation Of America.
Tonya Winders – Allergy & Asthma Network
I first met Tonya in Washington last year and was overwhelmed by her passion, drive and rare ability to empower everyone she meets. Tonya is the president of the Allergy And Asthma Network and works tirelessly to help families across the world, while raising her own four children who have allergies and asthma themselves. She is one incredibly inspiring allergy mum!
These are just a few of the amazing allergy mums I know who are making a difference across the globe. They get it. They live it. And they are out there doing something about it!
Who would you add?
Leave a Reply