This year we will be celebrating the third annual Global
FPIES Day on October 14th. Once again we are encouraging you to find your 14!
Reach out to friends, family, or community members and get involved this Global
FPIES Day with one or more of these 14 suggestions.
#1. Create a “Be The Voice” picture frame.
Click here
for details on how to download and create your frame. Then share it on your
favorite social media site and invite 14 friends or family members outside the
FPIES community to make one as well in honor of your little one.
#2. Create and display a FPIES awareness ribbon.
The orange and teal awareness ribbon featured on the “Be The
Voice” picture frames is a visible reminder of the strength and advocacy of the
FPIES community. You can get your whole family involved in creating ribbons
that can be worn or used as decorations. Here are some ideas:
- You can find two printable ribbon templates here
(one flat and one 3D). Print one out for each family member and let everyone
decorate them in orange and teal.
- You can also use the flat
template to create a stencil (just cut out the ribbon, leaving the rest of
the paper intact). Then use the stencil to paint a FPIES awareness ribbon on a
t-shirt, tote bag, notebook, or whatever you like!
- Make a perler bead awareness ribbon. You can see an example
of a perler bead awareness ribbon here
and a template for another version here.
Just switch up the colors to create your own FPIES ribbon. When completed,
these ribbons can be attached to keychains, necklaces, or just displayed as is.
- Make a larger awareness ribbon or wreath that can hang on
your front door. You can find some beautiful examples by typing “awareness
ribbon door hanger” into a search on Pinterest.
#3. Cook or bake one of your child’s favorite FPIES friendly
snacks.
Take some time today to make one of your child’s favorite
recipes and then share it with 14 friends or family members. Including a FPIES awareness card or flyer with each
snack can be a great way to share FPIES information.
#4. Wear Global FPIES Day awareness gear.
You can purchase Global FPIES Day clothing and accessories
from CafePress.com.
Proceeds from the profits of these products go to the FPIES Foundation, so just
making a purchase helps our efforts to advocate for FPIES families. You could
also make your own FPIES gear (check out #2 for some ideas). However you get
your gear, though, be sure to wear it proudly on the 14th!
#5. Share the Global FPIES Day button on your blog and social
media sites.
This is a great way for partners and medical professionals,
as well as families, to get involved. Just click here to
get the html code that can be added to your blog or favorite social media site.
If you have a child who suffers from FPIES, be sure to share your own
inspirational story along with the button.
#6. Share FPIES educational materials with others.
Global FPIES Day is the perfect time to help your friends
and family members better understand FPIES and how it effects your child and
family. There are lots of great materials available at fpiesday.com. Take some time to go through
the site and pick out a few materials that you can send to 14 friends or family
via social media, an email, or a letter.
#7. Start a conversation for FPIES awareness.
Get in touch with a local parent group, breastfeeding support
group, school, etc. and discuss the possibility of speaking with the group
about FPIES. Be sure to let them know whether you are a medical professional or
a parent who can speak about your personal experience. Be sure to check out the
resources on our site about starting the
conversation.
#8. Share posts made by The FPIES Foundation on Facebook and
Twitter.
If you haven’t already, like or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Then check out some of
our recent posts and share a few with at least 14 people.
#9. Connect with 14 other families in the FPIES community.
You know firsthand what it is like to live with FPIES. Take
some time today to reach out to 14 other families in the FPIES community and
share a few words of support and encouragement. That might be as simple as a
phone call or a message on social media, but just let them know that they’re
not alone.
#10. Send 14 thank you notes.
Reach out to 14 people who have touched the lives of your
family and helped you along your FPIES journey. Whether you send them an email,
give them a call, or just send a quick note through social media, take time to
say thank you for their support.
#11. Share the medical provider packet of FPIES educational
materials.
If you are a parent of a child with FPIES, there’s a good
chance that you struggled to find a doctor who could correctly diagnosis your
little one’s condition. Help current and future FPIES families by reaching out
to 14 medical providers and sharing the educational materials listed on fpiesday.com.
If you are a medical provider, Global FPIES Day is an
excellent opportunity to learn more about this condition. Check out these 14
articles for professional education and development.
#12. Share the FPIES information packet for schools and day cares.
You can find information about spreading awareness to
schools by visiting our
website and clicking on the “Schools” tab. The information packet provides excellent
resources to educate school and daycare employees.
#13. Promote the FPIES Foundation's YouTube videos.
Subscribe to our channel on YouTube and then
select one or two of our videos to share on your social media pages. Just be
sure to share with at least 14 people!
#14. Support fundraisers and awareness events for The FPIES
Foundation.
You can watch for upcoming events on our website and Facebook page. If there is
an upcoming event in your area, invite 14 people to come out and support our
efforts to educate and advocate for FPIES families.
How will you find your 14 this Global FPIES Day?
This post was written by FPIES Foundation volunteer Aubrey Fredrickson. Aubrey is a freelance writer and mother of two. Although not personally touched by FPIES, she is grateful for the opportunity to be involved with the families and volunteers of the FPIES Foundation
