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Meet Your Neighbor: Kirstin Von Sydow-Mincin
By Callie Thomas
According to Nike company lore, one of the most famous and easily recognized slogans in advertising history was coined at a 1988 meeting of Nike’s ad agency and a group of Nike employees. While speaking of Nike’s can-do attitude, the agency’s principal reportedly said, “You Nike guys, you just do it.” The rest, as they say, is (advertising) history. But this phrase has come to mean much more, not just to the famous brand, but for mainstream society to push beyond what they think they can accomplish in order to achieve their dreams. Resident Kirstin Von Sydow-Mincin is one of those that “just do it” every day. Not only for herself and her family but for all those families with members that suffer from food allergy anaphylaxis, a serious allergic reaction that is rapid in onset and can be fatal.
The six-year Las Vegas resident originally hailed from San Diego and is a teacher at heart. “I hold a master’s degree in education with an emphasis in Cross Cultural Language Acquisition,” Kirstin said. “I love teaching children. I taught elementary in Clark County, Nevada and in Chula Vista, California.” Von Sydow-Mincin uses those skills in her personal life as a stay at home mom raising her two sons, David, age four, and Nicholas, age two, with husband David, as well as in her quest to build awareness about food allergies to residents throughout the community.
Von Sydow-Mincin is currently a Logistics Chair for the 2011 FAAN (Food Allergy Anaphylaxis Network) Walk in Las Vegas. The nationwide event raised more than 2.5 million dollars last year to benefit FAAN. This year’s event takes place at the District at Green Valley on October 1st.
Educating others about the illness has become a personal passion for Von Sydow-Mincin. On one fateful day Kirstin inadvertently touched her son Nicholas’ face with a trace of peanut butter on her hand. “His little faced swelled up within a minute. We were terrified. A pediatric allergist diagnosed our son with anaphylaxis to peanuts, tree nuts and sesame.” After the episode, she read everything she could about food allergies, which led her to FAAN.
The nonprofit organization provides education, research and advocacy for people with food allergies. It is the most trusted source for information, programs and resources related to food allergies and anaphylaxis. The organization is made up of families, dietitians, nurses, physicians, school staff and representatives from government agencies and the food and pharmaceutical industries. “I only knew one person with a food allergy before my son,” Kirstin said. “He was a student at my school in Chula Vista. I remember the day he picked up a Snickers wrapper and went into shock. His teacher saved his life by giving him epinephrine.” FAAN reports that 1 in 25 people have a food allergy, with children under the age of 3 having a slightly higher chance of susceptibility. There is currently no cure, so strict avoidance of the allergen is imperative, and education is essential to keep people safe.
“I am committed to doing everything I can to help find a cure for food allergies. To keep my son and others safe means I have to do the work to educate anyone who will listen about food allergies.”
Through FAAN Von Sydow-Mincin also found FAPE (Food Allergy Parent Education), which helps parents connect with others who share the burden of dealing with food allergies. She is currently on the FAPE’s School Advocacy and Education Task Force and was one of the presenters in a food allergy education session at a Family-to-Family Connection event. “The task force is working with Clark County Schools to create a policy that will allow students with food allergies to be safe at school.”
Kirstin Von Sydow-Mincin has always been involved with charitable organizations locally. Giving back is just her way of connecting with others. “It gives me a sense that we are all in this together. Everyone counts. We can make a difference for the better if we choose to help.”
Callie,
Thank you for a wonderful article. We are thrilled to get the message about food allergies out there. Already people have called about the walk on Oct.1st.