If I educate one person today then it’s worth it.
I have a latex allergy. I am airborne anaphylactic to latex. Every time I go to a shop, go to bowling, go out it is anxiety inducing because I never know when or where I will see a balloon. I never know if this time my antihistamines and inhalers and everything else will work or this time I need my epipen just from this balloon. Latex allergy is progressive, this means every time I am exposed the allergy gets worse. There’s no way to make it better and exposure therapy is not an option. I can tell you there’s latex in a room as soon as I am in it without seeing it because I react. I have reacted at drs only to be told I can’t be reacting or there’s no latex only to find latex gloves, a single rubber band in a drawer etc. A single balloon makes me sick for days up to a week even using everything I can to not end up in hospital. The allergy doesn’t stop just by having an epipen or antihistamines etc. It’s hard and bowling is often a difficult thing, I love bowling but there’s so much latex and there’s always balloons. I have given feedback to companies but it falls on dead ears and I am only one person. There are latex free balloons but no one wants to buy them. This is only a small part of my daily life. Latex kills. Not only people but the environment, latex balloons don’t biodegrade the way people think. It should be banned, we have better options.




