Teen Allergy Buddies

I recently read a quote by Abraham Lincoln: “To ease another’s heartache is to forget one’s own”. Lincoln’s words led me to reflect on my childhood as a kid with allergies. When I think back, I feel ironically grateful and sad. Let me explain. I feel grateful that I’ve survived the last 10 years, because a single mistake could easily become fatal for those of us with severe allergies. I also feel grateful because facing the challenges that come with having anaphylactic allergies has transformed me into the person I am today. I am more resilient, aware of my surroundings and body, careful, thoughtful, determined, empathetic, and creative than I would have been without my allergies. However, when I look back on my allergy journey, I also recall feeling lonely, anxious, and paralyzed with fear. Lincoln's words resonate with the hurt part of me who wants to do something to help the younger allergy kids have a better experience.

I believe a school buddy program could help. I envision a committee where older kids in high school buddy up with younger allergy kids in the elementary and primary schools. Sharing our experiences could help educate all kids and help the kids with allergies feel less alone. I remember feeling isolated because others didn’t understand why I couldn’t eat the obviously nut-free cupcake they brought in or why I had to sit at the allergy table during lunch. The concept of cross contamination can be difficult for young allergy kids to explain. However, given that 1 in 13 people has a food allergy, raising general awareness is important.

As a little kid, I didn’t realize how unaware others were. If my friends had better understood my needs, I bet they might have been more supportive of them. Even today, many of my peers don’t understand why I need to wipe down the table before I eat. They don’t realize that the slightest bit of tree-nut dust in my food or on the chair I sit on would be detrimental. 

To make navigating life with allergies easier for young allergy kids, I want to create a new allergy club. In the Allergy Buddy Program, older allergy kids can become buddies who are able to teach younger kids about how to stay safe and thrive while living with allergies. I envision a club that goes beyond just teaching. My hope is that we older allergy kids will form lasting relationships with the younger kids. We could do this if we work together on fun community service projects or buddy-up and work on nut-free baking or art projects. I would have appreciated having an older, understanding, fun yet allergy-aware friend who truly understood my fears. I can’t go back and change the experience I had, but I can help create a better model for kids who will come after me. My hope is that if enough of us work together on this project, we might be able to create an Allergy Buddy Program for all schools to use.