Evelyn Nosbush is a 9th grader from Minnesota who loves spending time with friends, browsing bookstores, and being active in her community. For most teens, these everyday activities are simple pleasures—but for Evelyn, they can be life-threatening.

Evelyn has a severe latex allergy, making public spaces especially dangerous. Natural rubber latex is found in far more items than most people realize, with latex balloons posing the greatest risk. The powder on balloons allows latex allergens to become airborne, meaning Evelyn can have a reaction before she even sees them. When exposed, she experiences anaphylaxis, including swelling of her lips, tongue, and throat, and has had to use emergency epinephrine to save her life. Unlike many allergies, latex allergies worsen with each exposure. Because of this, Evelyn has been forced to limit her time outside her home and miss out on activities most teenagers take for granted. To make matters more challenging, there are no labeling requirements for products that contain latex, making it extremely difficult to know when it is present. Even packaging materials, such as rubber bands, can trigger a reaction.

A specially trained allergen alert service dog could change Evelyn’s life. These dogs are trained to detect airborne latex before it reaches levels that cause a human reaction. The dog would also be able to sniff items and packages for the presence of natural rubber latex and detect whether food has been handled with latex gloves—still commonly used in some food production and restaurant settings. With the help of an allergen detection service dog, Evelyn could move through the world with greater confidence and independence. While there will still be times she has to step away, the dog’s early alerts would allow her to do so safely—before a medical emergency occurs. Most importantly, a service dog would give Evelyn the freedom to spend time with friends and engage in her community without constant fear, helping her live a healthier, fuller life.

We are asking for support from our community to help Evelyn. Every donation is extremely helpful. Shares on social media help too. Thank you so much for supporting Evelyn!

Evelyn's parents are Danielle Deopere and Ryan Nosbush. Her awesome younger sister, is Lennon Nosbush.