Two years ago around this time in the U.S., Oakley Debs - a 12 year old boy the same age as my Kate, died because he ate a piece of cake that unknowingly contained his allergen.   Food allergies are truly that serious for kids with anaphylaxis.  Sadly, I know of many other young children who have lost their lives this same way - Sabrina Shannon, Elijah-Alavi, Caroline Lorette,  and too many others...

Many of you know that my daughter Kate has suffered with these food allergies since birth.  At age 2, she had a near death reaction to nuts which changed our lives forever.  On this day I witnessed my little girl battle for her life in acute resuscitation at Trillium Hospital ... it was truly the most frightening experience of my life.  I realized in that moment that I could really lose her...over a bite of food...  food that is harmless to you or I, is literally poison to her. 



The only way to keep her safe up to this point has been strict AVOIDANCE - keeping her from foods that contain her allergens is not easy.  With dairy, peanut and tree nut allergies there are many risks for cross-contamination. This has resulted in Kate living a life very different from what we would call "normal".   She doesn't eat at restaurants, it limits her travel options, she hasn't gone to many parties or summer camp with her friends - she has had limited experiences with sleepovers and playdates...  while it sounds extreme - it's her reality.  



There is also a huge level of anxiety for Kate and those that care for her that comes along with these allergies. Every time the phone rings I'm afraid it's her school calling to tell me that she's somehow come into contact with her allergens and is having an emergency. It's every allergy mom's worst nightmare - a fear that came true for Sara Shannon - the mom of Sabrina Shannon who is the reason we have Sabrina's Law in all our schools here in Ontario. Sabrina knew about her allergies  - she knew to ask about ingredients and to be careful of cross-contamination...yet despite her asking all the right questions, the french fries she ordered from the school cafeteria had been contaminated with dairy by a set of tongs that had been used to make poutine (cheese) and she had an allergic reaction at school that cost her her life. These allergies are real and dangerous.  


I have been advocating for and supporting children with allergies and their families for the past 12 years. Over that time I've heard many tragic stories of children lost to food allergies. I also have met many people around the world who are working to try to make life better for those suffering from them. One of these invited me to a movie premiere of a food allergy documentary - and this was unknowingly the beginning of a new journey for us.    The movie was being shown in Southern California and when I announced that I was going, people reached out to me to tell me I must check out the Southern California Food Allergy Institute... little did I know the movie was created by a patient of theirs ...everything was leading us to Cali!

The Southern California Food Allergy Institute's Tolerance Induction Program (TIP) is a revolutionary food allergy treatment program boasting a 99% success rate at treating over 3200 children's food allergies allowing them to have FULL FOOD FREEDOM without restrictions upon completing the program.  These treatments are truly the answer to our every prayer...to every wish upon a star...to every penny tossed in a fountain...to every turkey wish bone at Thanksgiving... that we've made over the past 12 years.  They are giving Kate the chance to live a NORMAL life!  To be able to not only be safe from a reaction but to have complete food freedom to eat any foods that she wants including her allergens!   It is our dream come true and our journey starts now!

So how much does something like this cost???   The cost per child is approximately $20 000 USD, however due to philanthropic efforts and donations,  So Cal subsidizes the treatments and only charges $4500 per year for the program.  This does not include the fees for appointments, diagnostics, lab work, etc.   For Americans these charges can be put through insurance and benefits programs... Unfortunately for us as Canadians however, these costs are not covered.  This means I will have to pay out of pocket for Kate to access this LIFE-CHANGING, and potentially LIFE-SAVING treatment.  The costs to us are estimated to be upwards of $20, 000 USD not including accommodations, airline fees and all other associated travel expenses.   The average length of time for a child in the program is 14-16 months.  The total costs and duration of treatment is individual for each child ... as is the treatment itself. 



This is why I'm reaching out today to ask for your support - any amount helps.   In return I will forever be indebted to you for your support and contribution to making this dream for Kate a reality.   I will be blogging and sharing every step of our journey along the way... with the plan being to share her success story and once she has graduated from this treatment program and is able to live a normal life we want to continue to raise funds to support other children like Kate to take this same journey...we want to sponsor other children from around the world to be able to access this revolutionary treatment in California.  So thank you in advance to all those that have been such a great support and who choose to support us on this journey.  

With love,
Melissa (aka "The Allergy Mom" - I will happily relinquish that title!)
The Allergy Mom Website & Blog 
xo xo xo