Maggie - Teen blog

Here is a blog post by Maggie, our volunteer! We are very grateful for having such a bright girl in our office! Keep an eye out for more teen blogs to come :)

Hey there Facebook and blog followers! 

My name is Maggie and I am more like you than you might think! :)

Like you, I am a person living with an allergy. I’m a 4+ out of 5 and allergic to peanuts/nuts. I came to Allergy New Zealand for my service for Duke of Edinburgh and was overwhelmed by the knowledge and skill the people here have.

Back in 2010, on the first day of the Christmas holidays I experienced something that I had never in my life experienced before. 
My Mum was having some chocolates out of the favourites box and I asked if I could have one (don’t know what I was thinking). My Mum said yes and gave me a white chocolate. Five minutes later my Mum came in to find one of the eyes swollen shut and the other one almost shut. I do admit when my Mum first said that I needed the EpiPen I was scared, so scared that I started running around the house screaming. But once my Mum gave it to me I didn’t feel a thing. 

I later spent 9 hours at the hospital!

When we were standing outside waiting for a taxi, some ladies stopped us and told us that we had just won a spot prize! Mum and I thought we were just getting a Ipod or phone but we ended but getting a 32ich flat screen tv!!! The thing that sucks the most about that is that I didn’t even get it !!! When it was me who was in hospital and choose the taxi (to me that makes no sense).

A little more about me: I go to Epsom Girls Grammar and so far I have not had any trouble with getting into different groups and doing all the stuff that I want to do. So far at EGGS I have been involved in

-          Soccer

-          Cycling

-          Duke of Ed

-          Art

-          Sport caption for my class

But I plan on doing so much more so watch this space!

So what I’m trying to tell you is that your allergy shouldn’t shape you, it shouldn’t make you stop what you love doing. I know that allergies sucks but it makes you who you are and trust me, I wouldn’t change my allergy for the world (well maybe not as high as 4+, now that truly sucks). 

Always have a smile on your face even when things are hard!

If you want to ask me any questions feel free to leave a comment below!

Maggie

Easter Giveaway WINNER + More Easter Ideas

And the winner is....

Sarah Jenkin from Dunedin!
Your Easter treats are on their way!


If you didn't win, don't worry, there will be many more giveaways to come!

Thank you to everyone who took the time to enter! We wish you all a safe and fun Easter and hope you all find great treats for your kids and family.

Click here to read Safe Easter Treats post

Easter Fever 

ALLERGY TODAY
AUTUMN 2008 
ISSUE #124

Easter doesn't have to be a drag if you have food allergies. We have a few suggestions that will get you into the festive spirit.

Easter Marshmallow Shapes

Ingredients

1/4 cup cold water

1Tbsp gelatine

1/2 cup hot water

1 cup sugar

1Tbsp lemon juice

1tsp vanilla  

Instructions 

1. Place cold water into a bowl, gradually add gelatine and stand for 5 minutes.

2. Mix hot water and sugar in a saucepan and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved.

3. Add gelatine mixture and boil for 5 minutes.

4. Cool to lukewarm, pour into a bowl and add lemon and vanilla.

5. Beat until think and creamy.

Eggs

If you're not allergic to eggs - or your doctor says you are able to touch eggs without having a reaction - then enter the world of Easter egg decorating. Here are some ideas of how to get different colours from natural material:

Yellow yellow onion skins, turmeric (1/2 teaspoon per cup water), chamomile, sage, celery leaves.

Orange onion skins, but boil the eggs with it. Any yellow dye plus beet juice, red beets, safflower seeds, paprika, rose hip tea.

Green spinach, parsley, carrot tops, beet tops

Blue grape juice concentrate, red cabbage

Light Purple grapes (purple ones!)

Brown black tea, coffee

1. Hard boil the eggs with 1 teaspoon of vinegar in the water. 

2. Place dyeing ingredients in a separate non-aluminium saucepan, cover with water and boil five minutes to one hour depending on what ingredients you use. Make sure you use enough material to make at least one cup of dye. 

3. You need to crush the ingredients as they boil so you can extract as much dye as possible. When the colour is concentrated enough, strain the dye and use it hot. 

4. Let each egg sit in the dye until it reaches the desired colour. Some dyes will take longer than other to make the desired colour on the egg.

5. Remove the egg and let dry. 

 

 

Allergy New Zealand in the community

Last Friday our CEO, Penny Jorgensen, gave a presentation to a group of whanua support workers and Registered Nurses involved in the Mana Kidz programme.

Mana Kidz is a project with the National Hauora Coalition and Counties Manakau DHB to manage the Rheumatic Fever Prevention Programme. As part of this they are establishing health clinics in schools in the CMDHB area which is being managed by registered nurses and whanau support workers.

Aside from educating them about allergies and risk management strategies, Allergy New Zealand donated 16 education kits on the day and will be donating more kits as Mana Kidz health clinics open in more schools in the south Auckland area.

However, these kits could not have been donated without funding from Auckland Airport’s '12 days of Christmas', which Allergy New Zealand is very grateful for.

The $120,000 was collected through the generosity of the travelling public, donating their unwanted currency into donation globes situated throughout the airport. Auckland Airport collects the money and donates it to charitable organisations on behalf of the travellers.

Allergy New Zealand was one of twelve chosen charities to receive $10,000. These funds went towards putting together 50 allergy education kits for low decile schools across Auckland.

The education kits are full of useful resources about allergies. Including books, cds, auto injector trainers and the Allergy & Anaphylaxis Guidelines for Early Childhood Services & Schools.

If you would like to purchase an education kit for your child or local school go to our shop online.
 

Penny talks group through the ASCIA e-training course for community

Group learns about anaphylaxis and receives action plans

Penny demonstrates how to use an Epipen to the group

Group learning how to use the Epipens

So far kits have gone to the following schools:

Primary School

Wiri Central

Rongomai

East Tamaki

Bairds Mainfreight

St Johns

Sir Edmund Hillary

Dawson Primary

Mayfield

Yendarra

Te Kura Kaupapa Maori O Piripono Te Kura Whakahou Ki

Chapel Downs

Wymondley

Flatbush

Intermediate

Fergussen

Kia Aroha

Sir Edmund Hillary

Have a great week,
Allergy New Zealand group