By Linda Lojewski
Can you imagine celebrating a friend’s birthday party without eating the cake? Or a Super Bowl party without chips and dip? For people with food allergies, resisting these foods is not a choice. It is a matter of life and death.
We are fortunate to have two active support groups in our area. Jenine Lawton is the leader P.H.A.C.T. of Chester County and Jean Kintisch is the leader of F.E.A.S.T. of the Main Line. Both groups are committed to education, raising community awareness, and supporting local families.
Research publications in the U.S. National Library of Medicine tell us that there is epidemiologic evidence indicating that food allergies are increasing in Western populations. The most common food allergens are: cow’s milk, eggs, soy, wheat, fish, shellfish, peanuts, and tree nuts.
For those with allergies, tedious investigation of labels for foods and beverages and asking questions about food preparation, are daily rituals. Any lapse in vigilance is a life and death gamble.
Fortunately there are local advocacy groups like P.H.A.C.T. (Parents Having Allergic Children Team) in Chester County, and F.E.A.S.T. (Food and Environmental Allergy Support Team) of the Main Line.
Both groups share a mission to help families who manage food allergies to connect with each other and support each other, so that they and their children may thrive.
To better serve her group and her Chester County community, Jenine of P.H.A.C.T. completed certification that is state-approved training in Pennsylvania. As a food allergy awareness and education trainer, Jenine regularly provides training at no charge for restaurants, cafeteria staff at businesses, and in area schools.
Jenine believes that by raising awareness and providing education for the community, she builds a vital bridge to enable families with food allergies to engage fully within their communities.
Other local support group events include:
- Feel Good Forum – This event in the Fall provides an afternoon of programs for parents and their children. Programs include learning yoga, music and drama activities.
- Every October, the groups lead local efforts for “Teal Pumpkin Project.” In this way, children with food allergies may participate more safely in trick or treating. Homes that display a teal pumpkin in the window signal that they have non-food treats available for children with food allergies. (The Teal Pumpkin Project is sponsored by FARE. For more information, see the FARE website.)
- A winter program features a peer-to-peer exchange among teens helps to ease the social isolation and anxiety that life with food allergies can bring.
- In the summer, PHACT organizes a trip to see Reading Phillies for their annual peanut-free day at the ballpark. Both groups participate.
To learn what your business can do to better accommodate employees and customers with food allergies, reach out to either group through Facebook, visit the website www.PHACTfoodallergy.com or contact Jenine Lawton at [email protected] or Jean Kintisch at [email protected].
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Top photo credit: Healthy and Happy… via photopin (license)
