MY PERSONAL STORY

FOOD ALLERGIES SIMPLIFIED WITH

CHISA WHELAN

Founder Of Potlucky

I am a Mom-Chef who has been tirelessly cooking for my 11-year-old son, who was once deathly allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, soy, and shellfish. Preparing food-allergy-safe meals for him day after day in addition to managing all of the other responsibilities of being a working mother has been incredibly challenging and at times, downright discouraging. We used to avoid certain foods like the plague; we spent countless hours searching for allergy-safe recipes, products, and doctors (pulmonologists, dermatologists, allergy specialists, you name it). We rushed my son to the ER several times, two weeks in a row at one point, because of anaphylactic reactions. We were always feeling anxious, fearful, isolated, and hopeless about his food allergies until we found an actual food allergy treatment, the Tolerance Induction Program (TIP) at the Food Allergy Institute.
I am a proud Tolerance Induction Program (TIP) Mom. With much success, my son recently graduated from the food allergy treatment program, and we achieved “Food Freedom”. He can now eat any type of food at any time and without any fear. We are literarily living our once unthinkable dream! However, this dream has presented us with new challenges. We used to strictly avoid allergens but now my son must eat them for life. Yet, to this day, he cannot stand eating them! Reaching Food Freedom was a huge accomplishment, but now we are dreaming of a world where we can actually enjoy all foods as a family.
If our journey taught me anything it is that parents like me need support. How do we manage food allergies while staying joyful, motivated, and excited? We do it with support from our loving and caring community who are struggling and striving for the same dream. This was my inspiration for Potlucky. I wanted to create a space, like a community potluck, where food-allergy families can share stories, valuable information and resources to network, support and inspire one another. We are not only dedicated to our children’s wellbeing, but also to our own wellbeing. I am here to embark on an exciting journey as a Wellness Coach to assist you in transforming the food planning and prepping process from overwhelming to, not just manageable, but enjoyable as well. Please join me on this journey!