Every time Sarah Burger drops her son off at day care, she says a prayer to keep him safe.
“He’s not in my own bubble of safety where I know there’s nothing in my house that he could get his hands on that could hurt him — it’s terrifying,” Burger says.
In December 2014, Burger’s son was diagnosed with a life-threatening peanut allergy. After consulting with physicians, she conducted independent research on how to keep her son safe, as well as what foods could include peanut-related ingredients.
“I think to some people it seems arbitrary — like it’s an allergy or something that happens and you get hives,” says Burger, human resources generalist at Westinghouse’s Cranberry Township location. “People don’t realize that your organs can shut down, and it takes only a couple of minutes.”
While researching, Burger came across multiple support groups for food allergy parents on social media, as well as the Food Allergy Research & Education organization. FARE was formed in 2012 as part of a merger between the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network and the Food Allergy Initiative. According to FARE’s website, the organization works on behalf of 15 million Americans with food allergies, including those at risk of anaphylaxis, a severe and potentially fatal allergic reaction. Anaphylaxis affects one in 13 children in the U.S., or roughly two students in every classroom, according to FARE.
As part of this awareness, the FARE Walk for Food Allergy takes place annually to unite those who live with a food allergy and to help raise money for a cure. Open to anyone who would like to lend their support, the family-friendly walk is held in communities across the country, including at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, which took place on May 7. Burger says the Pittsburgh Zoo is an ideal location for the walk because participants get free admission to the zoo when they register. It’s also a relatively central location within the city to organize the outing.
This year’s goal was to raise $35,000 for Pittsburgh’s walk.
Last year, Burger participated for the first time in the FARE Walk for Food Allergy, and this year she was on the walk committee. Burger’s team, Brook’s Crew for the Cure, had a goal to raise $1,500 to contribute to research and awareness. Raising money and awareness are at the forefront of the walk’s focus, but Burger says it’s a priceless experience to be surrounded by supporters who can contribute advice and recommendations — such as best places to get ice cream, or which bakery to visit that won’t trigger an allergic reaction.
“Every birthday party is a scary time,” Burger says. “You always have a cupcake or something just in case. It gives you some kind of hope that all of these people will come together to raise awareness and to raise money.”
According to FARE, scientists estimate that as many as 15 million Americans are living with food allergies, including roughly 5.9 million children. Of children with food allergies, 40 percent have already experienced a severe or life-threatening reaction. Every year, more than 200,000 emergency visits are caused by food-allergic reactions — that’s one visit every three minutes.
“People don’t realize how scary it can be that your child can just go anywhere, any day and take one bite of something that could kill him,” Burger says.
