Brotherly Love: Singing Telegrams For Food Allergies
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Who says kids can't be at the forefront of medical research? Maybe they're not the people in the lab coats, but some are using technology to help nonetheless. A 14-year-old from Dresher has a condition that threatens her life, but she wants to be a link to the solution one song at a time.
"I carry medicine everywhere at school," said Emily Zauzmer. "It's in my backpack or in the nurse's office."
Emily talks about her medicine as casually as her jeans, but her medicine is there to save her life. Emily has allergies to a long list of ingredients, so everything she eats has to be checked thoroughly.
"It's very difficult, but it's possible to avoid them," Emily said.
Just because Emily is 14 doesn't mean she can't help make life better for others.
Emily is singing for others. In July 2008, she started a website called EZGreetings.org to sell singing telegrams and raise money for research into food allergies.
"It's really wonderful when a singing gram order comes in to know that five more dollars can be sent for a cure," she said.
Jan Zauzmer, Emily's mother, said, "It's a source of great pride for her family to watch."
Emily was also selected to be the local honorary youth chair for the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (or FAAN) Walk later this year. Suzanne Harrison is with FAAN.
"When I met her, she was 13 years old, and she seemed like I was talking to another woman or a friend," said Suzanne. "She represented herself so wonderfully."
The website's money goes to research at Johns Hopkins.
"Lots of people have sent and helped me achieve the almost five thousand dollars that I've been able to raise for food allergy research," said Emily.
She hopes one day everyone can eat safely.
Watch the video...
Reported by Dave Huddleston, CBS 3
LINKS:
EZ Greetings
http://www.ezgreetings.org
The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network Walk Oct. 2, 2011 at Cooper River Park
http://www.foodallergywalk.org/site/TR/2011Walks/2011Walks?fr_id=1969&pg=entry
