ELKHART, Ind. (WNDU) - Since the 1990s, food allergies have risen by nearly 50%, according to the CDC. They now affect nearly 32 million Americans and one in 13 kids.One Elkhart mom is turning that statistic into action with a Food Allergy Awareness Walk on Saturday.Lindsey Siciliano’s daughter, Lidia, has life-threatening allergies to eggs and peanuts. She carries an EpiPen everywhere, her family has an emergency action plan and Halloween is one of the hardest nights of the year.Siciliano organized the walk to hel...
ELKHART, Ind. (WNDU) - Since the 1990s, food allergies have risen by nearly 50%, according to the CDC. They now affect nearly 32 million Americans and one in 13 kids.
One Elkhart mom is turning that statistic into action with a Food Allergy Awareness Walk on Saturday.
Lindsey Siciliano’s daughter, Lidia, has life-threatening allergies to eggs and peanuts. She carries an EpiPen everywhere, her family has an emergency action plan and Halloween is one of the hardest nights of the year.
Siciliano organized the walk to help educate families about food safety. She partnered with the South Bend Clinic, where Lidia receives treatment.
“It’s really important to have a plan in place,” said Sr. Christina Barnes, an allergist and immunologist at South Bend Clinic. “Having an epinephrine in some form — whether that’s an auto injector or a nasal spray — having that with you at all times, because sometimes accidents just happen, even in the most careful families.”
The walk has already raised over $1,000, with a portion of the event’s proceeds going to support the Teal Pumpkin Project, a national effort encouraging households to offer non-food, allergy-safe treats on Halloween.
Another portion of the money will go back to the community to support food allergy awareness and outreach, according to the walk’s event page.
For Siciliano, safety is only half the mission. The other half is making sure her daughter feels like she belongs.
“I’m excited for people to think next time, ‘Okay, I have a family member that has food allergies. How can I include them at Halloween, Christmas, Thanksgiving, birthday parties, all the things,’” she said. “I just want to bring that awareness to everybody so they can hopefully try to include others that have food allergies.”
The walk starts on Saturday at 9 a.m. at Central Green in downtown Elkhart.
Registration is $20 and still open online.
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