How it Started:

My daughter is at risk of anaphylactic shock due to a severe nut allergy.

After eating less than 1/8th of a teaspoon of peanut butter, her face became covered with hives and she began wheezing. The trip to the hospital, the diagnosis and the shock of this life threatening situation sent us reeling. Only by learning more and getting tips on how to cope with this threat, did we feel we had taken control and could handle this new scary part of life.

Why:

As a video producer this project was a perfect opportunity to mix my professional abilities with my passion for keeping my daughter safe. I want to see information about anaphylaxis reach the people who need it most - in a style that is straightforward and easy to understand.

The Project:

I spoke with and interviewed:

• Leading specialists, researchers and health care professionals who diagnose and educate individuals about the risk of anaphylaxis everyday.
• Parents of anaphylactic children who have learned to live with this life threatening risk.
• Teachers and Principals who discussed their thoughts and feelings on coping with this issue with non-anaphylactic parents and within their community.
• Daycare and childcare staff who provided ideas and tips that they use to keep children safe.
• Anaphylactic children who spoke about what it's like to live with a life threatening allergy and what they do to stay safe.