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HALLOWEEN Local moms and kids paint pumpkins teal to raise awareness of food allergies Comment By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted Oct. 26, 2015 at 12:01 AM By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted Oct. 26, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News Six-year-old ShelbyLynne Borden had a look of total concentration Friday afternoon as her paint-covered hands carefully held a brush to apply teal paint to a tiny orange pumpkin amidst the chatter of a half-dozen mothers and their children. The group painted nearly a dozen pumpkins in support of the Teal Pumpkin Project, which helps raise awareness of food allergies, a topic that's especially timely around Halloween. An initiative founded in 2004, the Teal Pumpkin Project was launched by a nonprofit group called Food Allergy Research & Education. With more than 100,000 households participating annually, the project's goal is to encourage families to place teal pumpkins at houses where nonfood items will be offered at Halloween, allowing kids with allergies to join in trick-or-treat festivities. Some 15 million Americans have food allergies, with 1 in 13 children at risk for life-threatening anaphylaxis. For allergy sufferers such as ShelbyLynne's 2-year-old brother, Lane, who is allergic to whey protein, found in cow's milk, the project offers safe treats and inclusion. Emily Borden, mom to ShelbyLynne and Lane, said being able to participate in Halloween is harder for allergy families. "It's really sad when you bring the kids to trick-or-treat, and they put this stuff in his bucket and pretty much all of it is, 'Oh, you can't have that,' " said Borden. "It's a nice option to be able to go places and have him be able to get something and have some fun, too." Medford mom Amanda Coelho and her sister, Catrina Quintana, attended the paint party Friday because the concept of raising allergy awareness is a daily topic for the sisters' families. After Quintana's 9-year-old son, Asher, had a life-threatening allergic reaction to nuts at the age of 4, he was subsequently diagnosed with both tree nut and legume allergies. Both sisters' homes have to be nut-free to protect the boy. "He had his first anaphylactic reaction when he was 4; before that we could not have imagined what it would be like. Both households have to be nut-free because we're a close-knit family, and the kids are at both houses a lot," said Quintana, noting that the teal pumpkin effort was a great way to ensure "allergy families" had alternatives for holiday festivities that should be a simple rite of passage. "I think the teal pumpkins are a great way to bring the community together and to get the word out about allergies. And not just nut allergies. There are so many kinds of allergies, so it's nice to offer nonfood treats for kids who might be left out." Coelho said the project's effort to include all kids during a fun holiday was something worthwhile. "Peanut and tree-nut allergies can be life threatening, so it's been a transformation for our whole family. People don't realize it, but the protein from peanut butter takes time to break down. A kid can eat a peanut butter sandwich and touch something, then Asher can touch the same spot an hour later and have a reaction," said Coelho. "We've been doing the teal pumpkins for three years, now. With so many kids having allergies nowadays, it's nice to know you're not the one responsible for putting anyone else's kid in danger, because they can get a nonfood treat. Now they're able to go and get things like pencils or stickers or tattoos. They can have fun like all the other kids. Ashland mother Kim Bruhn, who hosted the painting session, proudly displayed a large teal pumpkin outside and smiled at the sight of toddlers with paint brushes at her table. "The main reason I did this was to support these families and bring awareness. I've had the kid who is 'different' and is in a life/death struggle," Bruhn said. "We all need to embrace their needs and make visible changes so all kids can go to school, participate and have fun like everyone else is able to." On the Web: www.foodallergy.org Buffy Pollock is a freelance writer living in Medford. Email her at [email protected]. By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted Oct. 26, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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