#16: Interview with Elijah's Echo - advocating for allergies and health disparities

What do you do when your son dies from a food allergy?

Dr G and Kortney talk to Dina and Thomas Silvera who had to face that very question. After their son passed away from ingesting dairy, they made it their mission never to let another family go through what they did. 

The Elijah-Alavi Foundation is an initiative designed to raise awareness on the severity of food allergies and anaphylaxis as well as the importance of education and training. Their goal is to bring training to daycares and communities and provide resources that cater to all socio-economic groups. 

Dina and Thomas discuss the health disparities in asthma and allergies, and how bringing education to these groups needs to be done in a way that is respectful and culturally sensitive. 

Health disparities refer to differences in the health status of different groups of people.  

What we covered in this episode:

• Why Thomas and Dina started the Elijah Alavi Foundation
• What they want the foundation to be: the voice for infants and younger children who are underrepresented in the policies
• How the foundation has changed the Silvera family and why Thomas is changing career paths 
• How they plan to provide hands-on training, protocols, risk reduction strategies and more after Elijah’s law passed in New York. 
• Why they want care takers and educators to take on the same role of a parent in allergy management and feel confident to act in a case of emergency
• How to address health disparities and the foundation plans to bring training to these communities. 
• Why it is essential to have someone that reflects the community present when training is delivered. The need to remember the role culture plays when bringing education. 
• Webinar training versus hands-on training

Supporting information here: https://www.itchpodcast.com/post/episode-16