celebrating cross
food allergy awareness
This January 15, 2024, marks seven years since Cross Hatfield suffered from anaphylactic shock after ingesting a brownie that contained cashew powder at a restaurant with his family.
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Cross fought for his life for 5 long days in the PICU at Scottish Rite Hospital.
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Cross is a Level 5 Anaphylactic, the most severe of cases, and experienced every symptom of a reaction within five minutes of exposure to peanuts and tree nuts.
Anaphylaxis is an extremely severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction that can occur within seconds or minutes to exposure to an allergen.
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Symptoms can affect several areas of the body, including breathing and blood circulation, and requires epinephrine (adrenaline) within minutes of the reaction.
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Those affected by anaphylaxis require emergency care immediately.
what is anaphylaxis?
Symptoms include
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Difficulty breathing
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Reduced blood pressure (e.g., pale, weak pulse, confusion, loss of consciousness)
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Weakness or fainting
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Skin symptoms or swollen lips
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Gastrointestinal symptoms (e.g., vomiting, diarrhea, cramping)
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Cross Hatfield experienced every single symptom.
symptoms of anaphylaxis
Although nearly any food can trigger an allergic reaction, there are ten foods that cause the majority of reactions:
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Peanut
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Milk
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Egg
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Soy
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Wheat
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Tree Nut
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Shellfish
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Fish
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Sesame
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Gluten
Cross has Level 5 Anaphylaxis to Peanuts and Tree Nuts.
common allergens
Celebrating Cross is the day we celebrate our survivor!
We have music, dancing, hors d'oeuvres, dinner, silent auction, and dollar dance with the Guest of Honor!
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Through awareness and education, we pray that compassion and understanding of food allergies are a priority for all. We are forever grateful for the nurses and doctors who fought fearlessly for Cross' recovery and for the opportunity to raise money and celebrate Cross as our Brave Anaphylactic Survivor in this special event.