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Personal Narrative-Helping Chronic Illness

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Endless alarms, bright blinking monitors, scary scurrying strangers, fish-face nebulizer masks, and numerous needle sticks punctuate my early memories. With each ER visit, the life-saving routine became increasingly predictable as doctors grew more aware of how to treat my life-threatening chronic illnesses. I lived with angst as a constant reminder that I could not afford to make the mistake of living a carefree childhood. Dining spontaneously and freely exploring the world were not my options. Approaching the drop-off line on the first day of Kindergarten, I felt like Ruby Bridges. Why was the crowd pointing at me? Why were parents circulating a petition to remove me from “their” school? For years, bullies propelled their slanderous …show more content…
I became an advocate for FARE, raising over $5,000 in three months, to fund educational programs in support of individuals suffering from food allergies. Contributing locally, I began by donating my birthday presents to patients at UCSF/Children’s Hospital Oakland (CHO), followed by $6,000+ in art supplies in response to my Bar Mitzvah request. To extend my reach, I established a philanthropic group (H’art to Heart) through which I empower hundreds of students to craft get-well cards (over 12,000 delivered to date). I also taught crochet skills to students at schools and at my Temple, and together we made and donated over 750 blankets/wraps since 2010. While my recent contributions of time supporting CHO puts me on track to earn the Gold President’s Volunteer Service Award, I am gratified to know that my efforts to ease suffering and humiliation of children at school, in the allergy community, or at CHO are appreciated. Despite the life-long health challenges I face, I will continue to spread compassion, making the world a better place, one positive message at a

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