The Story

My parents and I have always known I didn’t like peanut butter. On Halloween of 2010, dressed up as Strawberry Shortcake, I went door to door and asked every house if they were giving out peanut candies to make sure I didn’t bring any home. When we were done with trick or treating, I began to go through the candy I had collected. I tried an unfamiliar candy, Butterfinger. My family and I quickly realized I had unknowingly eaten peanuts. I vividly remember the uncomfortable itchiness, burning, my stomach aching and screaming to get it out my mouth. My family and I went to the doctor the next week where I was diagnosed with an allergy to peanuts and all tree nuts. Ever since my diagnosis 13 years ago, I have had to take precautions and protect myself from the possibility of an allergic reaction.

The same allergist recommended I look into a clinical trial. When I was eight years old, I was given the opportunity to participate in one. This trial was known as the Peanut Patch. The Peanut Patch was a small sticker with a low dose of peanuts that would rest on my back for around 24 hours a day. The hope was that the exposure to peanuts would send signals to my immune system and that my allergy may become less reactive. At the end of the trial I was able to tolerate half a peanut. For the next 4 years I continued to wear the patch, unsure if it was helping me or not.

My parents heard of a successful program called the Southern California Food Allergy Institute also known as SoCal, the Tolerance Induction Program (TIP). Tip is an individualized treatment program designed to help children with severe food allergies.  The goal of the program is to achieve “Food Freedom”: the ability to eat any food, whenever and wherever they want.

Please join me on my journey to food freedom!