Two Bellevue boys will be heading to Washington, D.C., to personally deliver a message to U.S. Congress that is close to their hearts: Pass food allergy legislation for schools and fund food allergy research.
David Demaree, 10 and Scott Demaree, 7, were selected by the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network to become Junior Ambassadors for this event, to be held Sept. 30-Oct. 1.
“These children impressed us with their commitment to spreading awareness and educating others about food allergies,” said FAAN CEO Julia Bradsher. “It is so heartening to see that even at such a young age, they are effective ambassadors.”
This year, the Junior Ambassadors will be urging legislators to pass the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act (FAAMA), which calls for voluntary national guidelines to help schools manage students affected by food allergy and anaphylaxis. The children who were selected for FAAN’s Third Annual Kids’ Congress on Capitol Hill range in age from 6 to 18 and come from all over the U.S.
Food allergies are a potentially life-threatening condition that affects 3 million children in the U.S.
“I think the Kids’ Congress is a good opportunity to learn and to give lawmakers more understanding about what it is like to have food allergies and how lawmakers can help,” said David, who is allergic to egg, peanut, several tree nuts, sesame, sunflower and carrot, in addition to pet dander and various tree, weed and grass pollens. “It is good for them to hear the perspective of those with food allergies.”
David and Scott each have multiple food allergies.
“As a family we have worked with the Bellevue School District to implement strategies to keep food allergic children safe at school,” said the boys’ mother, Karen Demaree. “When our eldest started school, I was not pleased with answers I was given to questions like, “What should my son do if he knows he is having a reaction in the lunchroom?” There was initially no plan in place.”
Karen said the family has worked with the children’s teachers to decrease/remove problem foods. Two years ago she petitioned the school board to establish a policy that these plans become a protocol to be followed across the district.
Having district-wide plans in place does not remove responsibility of parents to confirm that their child’s environment is safe, Karen said, “but it alleviates pressure from parents of having to advocate each year that there be a plan, of having to re-invent the wheel, so to speak.”
The family now homeschools both boys.
“The flexibility homeschooling affords us is terrific just now,” Karen said. “We will be east for two weeks, having time to visit Virginia, Maryland and D.C.
For more information about FAAN’s Kids’ Congress on Capitol Hill, visit www.foodallergy.org.
