Change.org Petition: My son should still be alive - Epi Helps Save Lives

Picture this: your child is having an allergic reaction and you call 911. The first responders show up within minutes, but they don’t have an Epipen — because they’re not required to carry them. Without this life-saving drug, your child passes away. This heartbreaking scenario is the true story of petition starter Georgina and her late son Giovanni. In honor of her son, and the 32 million Americans who suffer from allergies, Georgina started her petition to urge Congress and President Biden to pass a federal law that requires first responders to carry Epipens. Add your name now to show your support. Epi Helps Save Lives 3,392 have signed georgina cornago’s petition. Let’s get to 5,000!

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My world was broken apart when I lost my 14-year-old son to anaphylactic reaction because of his food allergies. Since then, I’ve tried to channel my grief into ensuring that no other family has to go through the loss that we experienced and started the Love for Giovanni Foundation in his honor. We’ve had so many successes since then, but there is one obstacle standing in the way of saving hundreds of lives. Right now, first responders across the country are not required to carry epinephrine, the drug that could have saved my son’s life. Help me campaign to change this. Administering epinephrine quickly if someone is at risk of an allergic reaction is the difference between life and death. If you suspect you have eaten something you are allergic to or know that you have, the protocol is to use epi first, epi fast, and then immediately call 911. In most cases, 911 will be called, and the first people to come to the emergency will be your local first responder, whether it’s a police officer or firefighter. But right now, these first responders are not required to carry epinephrine with them.  Food allergies affect over 32 million Americans, and every year, anaphylaxis to food, medicine or insect stings results in over 90,000 emergency room visits. The most severe allergic reaction is anaphylaxis, a life-threatening whole-body allergic reaction that can impair your breathing, cause a dramatic drop in your blood pressure, and affect your heart rate. It can be fatal and must be treated promptly with an injection of epinephrine.  Epinephrine is the first line of treatment and the only life-saving medication available to help reverse anaphylaxis and prevent death. And yet the people who we call to save lives don’t always carry it. I know that if enough of us raise our voice, we can change this. In 2019, Gio’s Law was enacted in New York State in honor of Giovanni, which allows first responders such as police and firefighters to carry and administer epinephrine auto-injectors. This was a major victory for us, and it only makes sense that all first responders should be equipped with life-saving medication. I am now advocating for every state across the US to require first responders to carry this life-saving drug. One New York town reported saving two people’s lives within the first year of the passage of Gio’s Law. Now imagine if this was enforced across the country! Even if food allergies don’t affect you directly, I can bet you know someone who has a food allergy or is at risk of developing one. I urge you to contact your local legislators to let them know why Gio’s Law is so important and to advocate for its passage in your state. We need as much support as we can get to make this happen. Thank you!

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