Welcome to Episode 34 of Live & Learn. This week, Megan Gilmour speaks with Maria Said, former CEO of Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia and Co-chair of the National Allergy Council. Maria shares her personal and professional journey, beginning with her son’s diagnosis of severe food allergies. She discusses how allergic conditions affect children’s school life including safety, social inclusion, anxiety and participation.
Allergic conditions like food allergy, asthma, eczema, and allergic rhinitis now affect up to 8% of Australian school children. These conditions can be serious and are often misunderstood. Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia is Australia’s only national allergy patient support organisation, providing education, advocacy and evidence‑based resources to individuals, carers and families living with allergic disease.
Read transcript here.